Très Joli
by brttmclv
Summary: On any other day Don Flack would have overlooked her and that's what she wanted. What happens when he looks a little closer and finds more than he expected? Will Joli let him bring out the person she tried so hard hide or will she run from him too?
1. DNA Revolution

**Okay so I'm about to break(take time out before a sequel) my other CSI:NY story and I decided I wanted to try another one on my break from Bonds...I came up with this one not too long ago. It's a tad different, I hope. I have quite a bit of it outlined. If I can manage it I will write this and my sequel to Bonds, but I wanna see how this goes. I really wanted to post it a few chapters before Bond's took a time out so here it is.**

**Of course, I do NOT own any recognizable characters. I DO own Joli, Celesti, and Laura. **

**Très Joli in Fench means '_very pretty'_ and of course Joli means pretty, just an FYI. And it's pronounced Joe-Lee, not Jal-Lee...lol. Celesti mean like heavenly btw...lol. Please, let me know what you think. I'm trying a different approach this time and giving different people more spot light and different attitudes. Depending on the reviews I get, I might go ahead and write the next chapter written soon but if not...Oh well. :)**

**Well, enjoy, hopefully! :)**

* * *

She stood outside of the building that she practically lived in for the past two years, staring at it wondering if she was really about to leave. As much as she hated going there everyday it was hard to say goodbye. It becomes habit, as it should. Getting up at 6am, going the few hundred feet from her dorm and walking inside the Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Building. At first it killed her to go back to the classroom. After all, she had gone three years to be an RN. Somehow, though, a resident at the hospital had convinced her to go back to school and go for a medical degree. A higher medical degree. She thought about it for a while and decided to take her chances. She was smart enough and she was still young, so why not?

Mostly, it was a reason to piss her mother off.

_"You're too pretty to walk around in blue sheets of cloth and cutting into people!" her mother, Laura, exclaimed when she was told that her eldest daughter was going back to school to be a doctor. She hated when her mother said that. Just because she had looks doesn't mean she couldn't be smart too._

_"Yes, well if my looks could win me a Nobel Prize or make me lots of money by not taking my clothes off or dancing in an obscene manner, I'd use my looks. But seeing as that will never happen, I'll live with cutting people open and looking at who they are on the inside." was her response, only earning a gagging noise from her younger sister, Celesti, and a glare from her mother._

_"You're trying to put me in an early grave, aren't you?" her mother asked. _

_"Mother, dear ol' mother." she smiled sweetly and stood up. "If I wanted you in an early grave I would have done it by now."_

That comment didn't go over to well and it started a whole new argument with Laura telling her that she was brainwashed by her father to go to medical school.

That was not true, though. Her father wanted only what any father would want, for her to be happy. If happy was dancing around topless at a bar pretending to be Jersey from Coyote Ugly, then so be it. That's what her father said, although he didn't wish to find out by looking at a newspaper.

That's why she loved her father. He never pressured her into doing what he wanted or what he thought was right. He was, in fact, the complete opposite of her mother. So much that her and Celesti wondered why they had married or taken so long to divorce. Their mother a was crude woman. She didn't look for love, she looked for money and an easy life.

"Jo, are you ready?" Celesti asked from behind her. She turned and looked at the younger girl and smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so." Joli sighed and picked up her bags.

"You sure you want to do this?" Celesti asked as the two walked down the walkway to the car. Celesti and Joli never really got along but they still loved each other. They enjoyed being different and liking different things. Celesti was like the Golden child, she dressed with the fashion and tried out all the new fads. Joli, on the other hand, was more conservative and at times whacky. She had been a vegetarian for as long as she could remember and was a strong environmentalist. Plain and simple; Celesti was the Barbie in Chanel and Joil was the quirky one dressed in multi colored socks. A personality she got from her father.

"I need this, CiCi." Joli whispered and set her bags down. "Mom's never going to let me be and these next two years are critical."

"I know but why do you have to move so far away?" she asked, looking at her older sister.

"It's for the best and I'll get to see dad." Joli smiled. She hadn't seen her father in nearly two years. He had taken a very short trip out to see his two girls but Laura ruined that and he left. After that she started school again and between his work schedule's and her schedule, there just wasn't enough time.

"I know but…" Celesti sighed and rubbed her face. "We've just never been apart." Joli smiled and pulled her little sister into a big hug.

"I'll miss you, too. But come on," she smiled and pulled away. "It's the 21st century. We have loads of ways to communicate and I'm only a call away."

"I know that but between that call is a whole country, Jo." Celesti reminded her.

That's one thing they blames solely on their mother, the distance. They had both been born in New York until the divorce. Laura managed to get custody and moved them out to Seattle, Washington. It killed their father but he made time to see them when they were little. As they got older they dealt with phone call and pictures but it wasn't the same.

Joli smiled and held her sister's face in her tiny hands. The main difference in the two sisters was appearance. They were both beautiful but looked completely different. Celesti had bright blonde hair and brown eyes and was only 5'3". While Joli was pushing 5'10" and had dark, chocolate brown hair and pale green eyes. Joli had very soft but defined features and Celesti's features were more full and rounded. The only thing that made people notice they were related was their smiles.

"All it takes is one call, CiCi. One call and I'll be here in a flash. I won't hesitate, you know that." Joli assured her. Celesti nodded and wiped her face.

"Well, your plane leaves soon." she whispered.

They girls piled into the car and drove in a melancholy silence to the airport. The day they both dreaded was finally here and neither one knew what to say or if they wanted to say anything at all.

Joli took in Seattle one last time as they drove along. She'd miss the sea side feel and the fresh air and calm beaches but she was excited to feel the electricity and sense of urgency that New York brought. She loved the fast paced life and she could not wait to start over.

"You know mom's freaking out, right?" Celesti chuckled from the driver's seat. Joli laughed and looked over at her.

"When does she not freak?" she countered. They laughed relishing the feeling of being together one last time. Only to have it fade as Celesti pulled up to the front of the airport.

"Seattle Tacoma International Airport." Joli read out loud. "Here goes nothing." she whispered and pulled the doorknob. They unloaded Joli's bags onto the tiny cart and rolled it to the front desk.

She was lucky she had her dad in New York or she'd be screwed. He went around and looked for an apartment for her, paid the down payment to hold it until she got there, paid for the moving van to move her furniture across the country and paid for her first class plane ticket. She wasn't sure where he got the money but he wasn't worried about spending it.

"As long as I get to see my girl." was what he said.

She hated that he paid for it all but she was happy that he offered. Her mother would have laughed at her and tell her to get a second job.

"So, this is it." Celesti whispered, swinging her arms back and forth around her. Joli bit her lip and grabbed her arms and pulled her into another hug. The girls embraced and reluctantly pulled away.

"Be safe and tell dad that I love him and I'll come visit for Christmas." the younger girl smiled. Joli nodded and kissed her head before grabbing her carry on.

"I will and you be good." she smiled and pointed a finger at her. "Stay sane." The girls laughed again and got another quick hug before Joli headed off.

She knew she shouldn't look back but she couldn't help it as she got further and further from her little sister. Joil felt guilty for leaving her here with their mother but Celesti could handle her better than Joli could. So she gave one last look to Celesti and Seattle before walking to the terminal.

"Last call for Flight 354, Seattle-Tacoma International to John F. Kennedy International. Last call Seattle to New York."

Joli hurried to make it to the stewardess in time.

"Hello, ticket please?" the red-headed lady smiled. Joli fished the ticket out of her bag and handed it to her. She pulled a piece off and pointed to the door. "Just hand this to the lovely brunette woman at the end and she'll point you to First Class."

"Thanks." Joli smiled and walked through the doorway. It was eerie looking out and being level with the planes. She shook her nerves off and calmed herself down.

"First class?" the brunette lady asked. Joil nodded and followed the lady up a small flight of stairs. She stopped at a desk and grabbed the manifest.

"Name please?" she asked.

"Joli Hammerback." she responded and watched the attendant flip through the pages and smiled.

"Looks like you have a row to yourself. Seat 14c, Miss. Hammerback." she smiled and let her through. Joli took her seat and stared out the window until she felt the plane move.

'We are now proceeding to take off. This is a non stop flight and should be arriving in The Big Apple in just over 5 hours time. So sit back and enjoy your ride.'

Joli took a deep breath and closed her eyes. This is it, this is what she's wanted to do for a long, long time and now she can do it.

"The city that never sleeps." she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep. She wasn't too sure what life awaited her in New York but she hoped and she prayed it was a better one than Seattle.

* * *

He wanted so bad to ignore the buzzing his phone made vibrating against his bed side cabinet but that was not a pleasure he had. He couldn't just say he slept late, forgot to set his alarm or call out sick like some others could. No, he was lucky enough to be a Homicide Detective for the NYPD. Didn't he luck out?

"Don't touch it." the red headed woman beside him grumbled into his neck. He rolled his eyes and moved from her grasp to reach over and answer his phone.

"Flack." he grunted. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be there."

He ignored the whine from his latest squeeze and stood up to go get ready. He loved his job, he really did, but he also hated it. But dealing with dead people, druggies, and midnight phone calls did get a little stressful. Especially when that latest squeeze was constantly whining about why you had to leave a shopping trip in Manhattan to go to a beheading in the Bronx. Yes, life was interesting for Don Flack and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"When are you going to be done?" the woman asked from the other side of his bathroom door. He shook his head and rinsed the soap out of it.

"I don't know, Devon. You know how this works, it's nothing new. I'll call you when I have the time, alright?" he yelled back. He waited for another complaint but didn't get one. He finished his shower and walked out to see Devon pouting on the edge of his bed.

This was what he hated most about her and about most New York woman in general, the holier than thou my shit don't stink attitude. Devon thought that if she just pouted her batted her long eyelashes that Don would put life on hold just to appease her, but he didn't. And he never would. He doubted he would find the woman that would make him want to put everything else on hold but if he ever did he would. But Devon, she was far from that woman. Hell, she was far from being a woman. She was just a child in her mom's five inch Manolo's.

"Don't start." he groaned and grabbed his suit from the closet.

"I hate your job." she cried out and flopped back on his bed. He smirked and looked over at her while tying his tie.

"You hate job's period, Dev." She sat up and glared at him.

"Whatever." she mumbled and stomped off to the bathroom. He shook his head again and finished getting dressed. He grabbed his gun, his badge and his wallet before he walked out.

"Get rid of the attitude or be gone when I get back." he yelled banging on the bathroom door as he left.

* * *

After a stop to get a cup of coffee Don Flack arrived at the scene right outside of Central Park. He looked around and sighed. New York really was a nice city to go sight seeing but he never really got that chance anymore and when he did he found himself thinking of old crime scene.

Like, a few weeks ago he went with his sister to take his nephew to see Lady Liberty for the first time and all he could seem to think about was the day he came up here to find blood pouring down her face and a dead body at the top. He mentioned it and earned a slap from his little sister for_ 'thinking of something so morbid near a child.'_

"Sid?" Flack asked as he crossed under the yellow tape. The older man looked up from the ground and waved slightly.

"Hello, detective. How are you this sunny New York morning?" Sid asked cheerfully. Flack gave him a weird look and grimaced when Sid stuck the liver temp needle into the stomach of the victim.

"How can you be so cheerful? There's a dead body and you just stuck a 6 inch needle in his liver, what's to be happy about?" Flack asked kneeling down next to the man. "I like to disagree when people say you get a kick out of dead people so don't prove me wrong."

"Oh no, Donald." Sid chuckled and took down the temperature. Sid was about the only one to be able to call him that and that was because Sid, as creepy as he was, was a very polite man. "Dead people do not excite me as much as one would think. Though I do find a sudden urge to-"

"Sid, please." Flack said holding his hand up. Sid nodded and continued the original conversation.

"But no, it is not the dead has arisen my happiness this morning, that would be the work of my daughter." he smiled. Flack had heard Sid talk about his daughters a few times but he never went into too much detail. Everyone knew Sid had gone through a nasty divorce and his estranged wife and mother of the girls ran off to Seattle with them. It was a sore subject when he was reminded of his girls.

"Yeah, why's that?" Flack asked standing up when the coroner did.

"She's coming home today." Sid exclaimed.

"Like visiting or staying?" Flack asked.

"Staying. She's on her way now. Last I heard from my other daughter was that she took off at about an hour ago. So she should be here shortly." Sid smiled and gathered his belongings.

"She must be something special to get you all riled up and venture out of your dark little basement and join us living in the sunlight." Flack joked. Sid laughed and nodded his head.

"Yes, she is something else."

"What's the reason though?" Flack asked. Don know better than to not ask questions, actually asking Sid questions was better because if you didn't he'd start telling the whole story and sometimes that wasn't a most pleasant conversation. You learn quick with Sid that you need to ask a specific question or you'd get way more than you wanted.

"School. She's going to SUNY Downstate Medical Center. She went to nursing school and was an RN for a year but decided to go back to medical school to be a doctor. She did the first two years in Seattle but decided to transfer here to finish." Sid smile brightly. He was glad his daughter chose to finish it here. He knew there was more reasons to it than wanting to get away from her mother but he wasn't going to press. He was just happy to have has first born back.

"That right? I take it she inherited your brains?" Flack smiled. Sid nodded his head.

"Yes, she is a bright one. So is my youngest but Joli has got the field covered." Sid smiled. Flack nodded and turned when he heard his name being called.

"Messer, 'bout time you showed up. I've been waiting." Flack smirked at the dark haired CSI.

"Don't lie. I saw your car pull up while I was getting coffee with Montana." Danny smiled. Danny and Don became instant friends when they met a few years ago at a scene. They were the same age and had the same interests; woman, beer, sports and food. That friendship went over just work chit chat but it became personal. They found themselves going to the other to talk when they needed it. Not a sappy, crying type of talk but the guy talk. Don's father had invited Danny over to the house numerous times to watch the game. His mother didn't like it too much after she found out that he had connections to Tanglewood, but Don Sr. put her in her place real quick.

"Will you stop? I think I like it better when I hate you." Lindsey groaned and joined the boys to look over the dead body.

It was a young female about 20-ish, with bright blonde hair wearing a very expensive dress. One of her four inch heels were broken and her knees were scrapped. She looked like she walked out of a runway magazine and into a bad nightmare. Don thought it was kind of ironic though. This scene showed both sides of New York; the glitter and the gutter it can put you in.

"So Sid, what do ya got for us?" Danny asked kneeling next to the body and snapping his gloves on.

"Well, liver temp is 75 so that puts her TOD about 1am." Sid said taking his gloves off and looking at Danny as he inspected the body.

"Petechial hemorrhaging in the eyes." Danny mumbled and moved the hair from her neck. "Ligatures marks around her neck-" he said and moved to see the back of her neck. "-only the front. Perp got her from behind."

"Well, one vote for strangulation." Sid nodded and put his glasses back on. "I'll see if you get the cookie when you're done here and send her to me. Good day."

Danny watched him walk away and looked up at Don.

"Do dead people excite him that much?" he asked the tall detective. Don smiled and shook his head.

"His daughter's moving home, she should be here later." Don explained. "Finishing school to be a doctor."

"Great, so if she's anything like Sid, New York just gained another loony." Danny sighed, taking a picture of the marks of the victim's neck. Lindsey paused marking the scene and looked over at him.

"If she's anything like Sid, she's smart. Which means she'll stay away from you two." she quipped and laid another yellow marker on the ground. The guys sent her an offended look and Danny stood up next to his buddy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Danny asked her. She stopped marking again and looked over at the with a hand on her hip.

"See my point exactly. But you know what that meant, Messer." she sighed. "A smart girl doesn't need an idiot lowering her IQ." Danny scoffed and Don smirked.

"Ahh, I see now." he nodded and rubbed his chin, looking between the two CSI's. "So that's why you've been off your game, huh Linds? Been spending so much time with Dan-O, it's left you near brain dead." Lindsey laughed and started marking again as Danny turned his glare to his friend.

It was no secret that Danny and Lindsey were an item. Granted, lately they were having a few problems but they dealt with those outside of work. Don knew about some of those problems and the main one was Ricki Sandoval but she had been gone for a few weeks now. So Danny and Lindsey were on the mend, slowly but surely. Don also knew that Danny knew he screwed up and felt bad for it, something that surprised Don. So this gave Don the perfect ammo to throw at Danny whenever he could.

"He's got jokes, I see." he grumbled and picked up his camera.

"Seriously, you guys. Why's is so bad to be smart? Would that really make her a nerd or less attractive?" Lindsey asked. "Do they intimidate you?"

"No woman, intimidates me." Don declared and sent her wink. "But I don't enjoy talking about the latest DNA revolution over beer and hot wings."

"What DNA revolution?" she asked, intrigued. Danny chuckled while Don started to walk away, leaving a very confused Lindsey.

"Never mind, Montana. Never mind." he said and walked off. Some days he hated work, some days he loved it but everyday was nothing less of exciting. Whether it be a chase through the busy streets of New York or laughing a slow day off in the lab. His job never got boring and he liked that.


	2. Kooky & Morbid

**Okay, so here is chapter two. If it seems a little slow don't worry, next chapter will be the meeting of Don and Joli. These chapters will be a lot longer than the chapters of Bonds, just an FYI. I was really surprised to get as many reviews as I did...lol. I wans't expecting 8, maybe 3 or 4...lol. But I'm glad you like it so far. I planned out more of this story the other day and got quite a bit. I'm really excited to write more for this and make it different from Bonds. So hopefully, you will like it. **

**hope4sall- Thanks! You were the first reviewer and I was so excited to hear you liked it! I added Devon for a reason, you will soon see that reason. I haven't read a story with Sid as a semi-main character so I decided to give him some spotlight for once! And I know he has two girls so I said, 'Hey, why now?' lol I'm so happy you like it. Thanks, again! :)**

**BEG75- I guess everyone can thank you for me posting this. After we talked and you said you liked the idea, I went ahead and started outlining...lol. I'm really happy you like it though! Thanks a bunch!! :)**

**soccer-bitch- Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!:)**

**katydid13- Thanks! Hope you enjoy this one! :)**

**iheartcsinewyork- Yeah, I wanted something that would make people go whoa...lol. so I picked Sid's daughter as an OC. I thought it would be cool. Glad you like it so far! :)**

**WinchesterWench- Awww thanks! That means a lot! I'm glad you like it. I really think everyone's likign that I added Sid as a bigger role.**

**JaydenBell- I was afraid that the readers of Bonds would say this...lol. But that's okay. I'm super happy every took to Bonds like they have! I never wrote in 3rd person, only in 1st. But I thought to get the whole feel of a scene I should use 3rd and get all the characters thoughts. This way I can control who I want to show. There might be some scenes I will do in 1st because I won't want to give too much away but that would be in the future. But I am glad you liked it and I'm glad you explained yourself...lol. Hopefully, I can hook you in but if not, Sara and Don are not going anywhere just yet...lol.**

**cherryspark101- Thanks! I thought it was a good idea too. Glad you like it! :)**

* * *

Joli nearly had a panic attack when she stepped off the plane and into JFK, it was a lot busier and crowded than Seattle's. She held her carry-on bag tight as she squeezed through the sea of people. She was never keen on large groups of people but this was different. It wasn't just a group of people in this airport, it was a the world. She found a spot on the side of the walkway and looked around. There were people in every color, shape and form. She saw a group of people wearing native African clothing smiling brightly at a man who seemed to be a tour guide. There were Asian people and if she listened closely she could hear the English and Australian accents filling the room. This only added to the excitement of living here.

"Now where do I go?" she mumbled and took out a tiny map of the airport. She looked the paper over for the luggage claim and smiled when she noticed it wasn't too far from where she saw. She folded it up and put it in her back pocket as she started on her way.

She couldn't help but stare wide eyed as she passed through the huge airport. She kept looking out the windows and she could see the city already. This made her all the more giddy to get out there and look around. But her amazement dropped when she saw the crowd of people by the luggage claim. She sighed and looked for her plane numbers. She waited as the people slowly faded from the spot in front of her and she finally grabbed her two bags.

Now she needed to pick up her car. She looked at the map and found the main entrance and after a few minutes of walking around, the only place she found was lost.

"Excuse me?" she asked walking up to the front desk.

"Yes, may I help you?" the older lady asked. Joli smiled when she heard her accent. Even though she was from up north too, the accents from the West coast sounded different from the ones on the East.

"Yes, I need to know how to get to the main entrance." she smiled. Her dad had graciously dropped her car off at the main parking garage at the front of JFK before he went for work. She sent her car and the rest of her belongings, including clothes, almost two weeks before she left so she would make sure they were there when she arrived.

"Here let me write down the directions. They are much easier than the ones on the map." the lady smiled and grabbed pen and sticky note. "I take it your visiting?" she asked.

"No. I just moved here." Joli smiled. The lady frowned and looked at the bags on the ground. "I sent my other stuff by moving van." Joli smiled.

"Oh okay. My next question was going to be if you were an aspiring entertainer." the lady laughed. "Alright, I wrote them down but all you need to do is go straight down this corridor until you see a tiny gift shop. Take a left there and walk until you see a Subway. When you turn the corner there's the exit." she smiled.

"Where's the parking garage from there?" Joli asked.

"You go out and it's to the left and straight ahead." she smiled. Joli thanked her one last time and walked off. She didn't need the sticky note and found her way out easily.

She breathed in the fresh air and smiled. Freedom at it's best, kind of. She looked to her left and saw a big parking garage. She pulled out her phone and read the text her dad had sent her, well her dad's neighbor had sent her.

_Floor 5, very end, opposite the elevator._

"Could he park any higher?" she laughed and started her walk.

Outside wasn't as busy as the inside but there were people crawling all over the place. She felt the rush when she thought of how things would be at the hospital. She was starting her third year and that was the beginning of her rotations. She already signed up for the emergency medicine rotation and after that she was ready for the pediatrics rotation. She could only imagine how busy a night in a New York emergency room would be like and she loved it. She like the fast paced life and that's what was tearing her apart. She would love to be a surgeon but she lived for children. So that was a decision she had yet to make.

After a semi-long walk to the parking garage and the trek to the other side of the building Joli spotted her silver Range Rover. She smiled happily and ran over. She was extremely proud of this car and of herself. This was the first thing she bought after starting as a full time RN. Her mom offered to co-sign with her to help lower the payments and her dad offered to help pay half of it but she refused. She spent the year before she graduated building up her credit so she could say this was hers and no one else's. The day she drove off the lot was the happiest day of her life. She felt free and she felt like an adult. That day, like today, was a start of a new life.

She loaded all three of her bags in the back of the SUV and opened the door to get in. She smiled when she saw a tiny note and a bag of skittles laying in her seat. She picked the candy and the note up and sat down. She tore the bag of candy open as she read the note.

_'I already set the GPS navigation to the lab and I left my parking pass in the glove compartment so just park in the garage and come in when you get here. Check in and get a visitor's pass at the front desk and they will give you directions. I'll see you soon, Jo._

_Love, dad._

_P.S._

_Enjoy your welcome home present.'_

Joli smiled and stuck the note in the ashtray. She popped a few more skittles in her mouth, picking out the yellow ones. She wasn't sure why she didn't like the yellow ones but she always picked them out. She turned the GPS on and started on her first drive though New York city.

* * *

Just a couple hours later Don found himself walking around Central Park holding a picture of the victim for the morning's scene. After a dozen failed interviews from local vendors and a billion calls from Devon, he was beyond aggravated and stopped by the corner store to get a coffee. He didn't bother getting creamer, today he needed the buzz. He walked up to the counter and laid the coffee down.

"2.50." the cashier said. Don sighed, laying the picture on the counter and digging out his wallet.

"Since when does one cup of coffee cost nearly three bucks." he mumbled. He went to hand the bills to the Indian man behind the counter and noticed the was holding the picture.

"She's dead?" the cashier asked softly. Don laid the bills down and nodded.

"You know her?" he asked. The man nodded and laid the picture down, face to the counter.

"Yes, she come by to get uh, morning paper and water every day. She work as model downtown. Very sweet girl, not old by much." he sighed. Don took out his pen and pad and started jotting down notes.

"Do you know her name or the name of the company?" Don asked. The man nodded and held up on hand. He walked over to a wall covered in flyers and picked off a yellow one.

"Stella Ivory. She give me this three days ago. She was real excited for it, couldn't stop smiling." the man told Don sadly and passed the flyer over. Don looked at the flyer and then back at the man.

"Thank you for your help. If I need anything else, I'll come back." Don said pushing his bills to the man but was stopped.

"Keep it. Just find who did this." the man smiled and pushed the money back to Don. Don nodded and walked out. Don called Danny and left him a message to stay at the lab and that he had a lead. He closed his phone and picked up the coffee.

"Ah damn." he grumbled when the stale coffee dripped down his throat. He stopped at a red light and poured the coffee out his door, throwing the cup in the back when he was done. "Three bucks for stale coffee. This is insane."

* * *

Joli was in awe as she rode through New York. The buildings, the people, everything was amazing. She hated that she never remembered this from when she was a little girl. She was afraid at first to drive around by herself but she didn't have any problems following the directions from the navigation. She pulled out the parking pass and parked on the second level of the garage, she hated parking so close up top like her dad.

She stared up at the tall building in front of her and smiled. The building had to be at least 15 floors and she just new her dad was at negative 5. She never once heard him complain though. She pushed through the glass doors and walked up to the front desk.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" the young woman at the desk smiled.

"I'm here to see my father, Sid Hammerback. He said I'd need a visitor's pass." Joli smiled. The lady typed in a few keys and smiled.

"Yes, just sign here and I'll give you a pass." the lady smiled. Joli filled out her name, time and where she was headed on the sheet and handed it to the lady. She filled the pass out with her name and destination and smiled.

"Okay you'll need to go to the 5th floor and take the elevator on the west side of the building. The main elevator isn't working. If you get confused just ask someone up there. It's the crime lab, they go there all the time." she smiled. Joli thanked her and walked off to the elevator. She smirked at the 'Out Of Order' sign over the elevator that went down. She pressed the up button and waited for the elevator.

Her nerves rose with each floor. She had missed her father. She missed his cooking, his love, his voice, his hug, she missed everything about him. He had a way of making everything better, like all father's should. People knew how her mother was and family thought that Joli and Celesti would miss out on a full share of love. They thought wrong. Their father, even on the other side of the country, made them feel loved enough. No matter what Laura tried to imbed in their brains, Joli and Celesti knew their father was a good man, they didn't blame him for staying in New York. They didn't blame him for anything.

She stepped out the elevator and looked around, looking for another elevator. She started walking down a small hallway and looked for a sign or someone to ask for help. She spotted two people in what looked to be a break room and stepped in.

"Excuse me?" Joli smiled poking her head in the room. The man looked over at her and grinned. He had wild, short dark hair and wore glasses. She saw the badge on his pants when he stood up and she figure he was a crime scene investigator.

"Can I help you?" he smiled. She smiled back at him and stepped in the room completely.

"I need to get to the morgue." she told him. The man wrinkled his forehead in confusion and looked own at her visitor's pass. His eyes popped when he saw her name.

"You're Sid's daughter?" the man blurted. Joli smiled proudly and looked behind the stunned man to the woman. She was a petite girl with short brown hair. She wiped her mouth and threw her soda away as she walked over to Joli.

"Don't pay any attention to him. I'm Lindsey Monroe." she greeted and held her hand out to Joli. Joli shook her hand and couldn't help but notice her accent was a lot different from the man. "And this schmuck is Danny Messer." she smiled and hip bumped him.

Danny snapped out of his trance when Lindsey bumped him. He was shocked. This could not be Sid's daughter. She had dark brown hair tied into a loose bun, small pieces hanging down showing off her slender neck and her eyes were a pale but bright green. Although, she had tiny framed glasses over her face, he could tell she was very attractive. The only thing she looked to have gotten from Sid was the height and slender body. Other than that she looked nothing like Sid.

"Oh uh yeah, Danny Messer, nice to meet ya." he mumbled. Lindsey smirked recalling their conversation before the girl walked in. It was about her. Danny wouldn't drop the conversation about how she would probably she a dorky, chubby looking self-conscious woman. He didn't really mean it but he was trying to tick Lindsey off. He actually thought Sid's daughter would be kind of morbid like him but he wasn't going to add that to the conversation. The last thing Danny expected was the woman that walked in the door.

"Joli Hammerback. Nice to meet you too." Joli smiled.

"I was on my way down to see Sid, you can just come with me." Lindsey smiled. Joli nodded and gave one last wave to Danny as she left.

* * *

Lindsey made a mental note to harass Danny about this later. He not only confided in her that he thought Sid's daughter would be as kooky as him but he told half of the lab.

"So did you just get in?" Lindsey asked as she and Joli stepped into the elevator.

"I left the airport and came here." Joli laughed. "My dad told me to come by so he could see me and so he could show me his work." she told her.

"Yeah, Sid takes pride in his morgue." Lindsey chuckled. Joli shook her head and looked over at Lindsey.

"Yeah, that's kinda creepy." she laughed and Lindsey nodded her agreement. "So are you a CSI?" Joli asked.

"Yes, I am." Lindsey smiled proudly. She was very proud of the fact that she made it this far. She was never interested in science until the night her friends were murdered. Going through that whole ordeal and reading about how they processed the scene stuck with her as she finished school. When it came time to choose her major she knew what she wanted to do. Her job helped give families closure and helped put criminal behind bars, what's not to be proud of?

"Sid, says you're a nurse but going back to medical school?" Lindsey smiled. Joli nodded and watched the doors open. She looked down the long hallway and smiled wider.

"Yeah, a doctor convinced me that I was doctor material and I went back two years ago." she explained. Lindsey refrained from asking another question as they got closer. She could she the excitement rise in Joli as she got one step closer to seeing her father again.

When they reached the doors Joli stepped back and let Lindsey go through. Lindsey caught on knowing that she wanted to surprise her dad and walked in.

"Sid!" Lindsey greeted happily. Joli poked her head in and saw her dad's back. He was leaning over a body and looked like he had just finished an autopsy.

"Miss. Monroe, I was about to call you. Me and our victim here just finishing up." Sid called behind him. Lindsey looked back at Joli and waved her up. Joli got up next to her and Lindsey and was handed a folder. Lindsey pointed for her to go stand next to Sid.

"Yeah, well looks like I have good timing, huh?" Lindsey smiled as Joli slowly walked over to stand next to Sid. She looked over his shoulder as he sewed the victim up.

"Yes, you do." Sid nodded. He had a few more stitches but he knew Lindsey would wait until he finished. She, unlike some other CSI's, knew how much he wanted to focus on his work. He wanted to have his full attention on sewing them up as well as when he was explaining the cause of death. He felt the tiny presence next to him and smirked.

"I'm almost done, Miss. Monroe." he chuckled.

"Oh please, call me Marilyn." Joli said in a faux southern accent. Sid dropped his needle and looked over at the _Miss. Monroe_ next to him and it wasn't Lindsey. Instead he was staring up at the beautiful face he hadn't seen in almost two years.

"My lord, Joli!" he smiled and ripped his gloves and coat off. "I wasn't expecting that." he laughed. Joli laid the folder down and wrapped her arms around her dad when he was done taking his autopsy outfit off. He held her tight and smiled contently as he held his fist born once again. Lindsey quietly grabbed the folder Sid wrote his notes in and took it over to the counter. She wasn't going to interrupt them.

"I missed you, Daddy." Joli whispered, tears in her eyes and voice. Sid heard this and pulled back to hold her face.

"Oh my dear, I missed you too." he smiled. He couldn't believe how much she had grown and changed in the past two years. Not only was she a tad bit taller but she looked more grown up. Her face was still as fragile and sweet as before but it wasn't the baby face anymore. His little girl was grown now. He felt the emotion build up in his chest as a tear trickle down his daughter's face.

"I'm home now." she smiled. He nodded and hugged her once more.

"Yes, you are. Did you have any trouble getting here or finding the car? Was the flight okay? Oh lord, you went to JFK by yourself, I should have picked you up myself. I know you're not fond of big crowds. You didn-"

"Dad!" Joli laughed grabbing his hands. She looked over when Lindsey couldn't hold her laughter anymore. Sid stopped and looked between the two young girls laughing at him and smiled.

"Yes, laugh at the old man." he smiled and put his glasses back on. "I know I tend to get a bit overexcited over things."

"A bit?" Joli teased. Sid sighed and turned to grab his notes, they were gone.

"I got them." Lindsey smiled, walking over to the newly reunited father and daughter duo. "I wanted a peek and I didn't want to interrupt."

"Well, thank you." Sid smiled and took the folder from her. Sid patted his chair for Joli to sit in while he talked with Lindsey. "Well, as you read COD was strangulation, so Danny gets the cookie. He was also correct in saying she was attacked from behind. If you look closely…"

Joil watched her dad pull the light and magnifying glass over the ladies neck and Lindsey looked down.

"They go down on the sides." Lindsey noted. She stood up and looked at her folder. "She's 5'10 so the perp was shorter. We can easily find the height of our perp by this." she smiled. Joli perked her ears up and looked at Lindsey.

"How?" she asked simply. Sid smiled over at his daughter and looked over at Lindsey.

"Now she wants to be a CSI." he laughed. Joli swatted his arm and looked at Lindsey expectantly.

"Well, if the killer was her height the marks would have gone straight back, taller would go up and shorter go down. In this case they go down about half an inch. We can use that half an inch to find out just how much short the killer was. Not exact but at least a guess." Lindsey told her. Joli nodded and looked over at the body.

"My guess would be about 5'6". Even someone an inch shorter wouldn't have made much of a downward mark." Sid added. Joli nodded and smiled at them.

"That's cool." she nodded. "You can finish now." she laughed. Sid nodded and looked back at his notes.

"I also found a tiny bit of skin under her nails. I see scratch marks on her neck from clawing at the murder weapon, which in this case appears to be panty hose, but it could also be from the perp." Sid told the CSI. Lindsey nodded and scribbled down notes while Joli looked over at the body again.

_'Who would strangle someone with panty hose?'_ she thought. _'Welcome to New York.'_

"Anything else, Sid?" Lindsey asked. Sid sighed and grabbed a brown bag.

"The skin under nails is in here, her clothes are in here too, and a copy of the report is in there." he smiled and handed it to her. "My work is done, Miss. Monroe." she smiled. Lindsey grabbed the bag from him and smiled.

"Thanks, Sid." she smiled. She looked over at Joli and set everything down. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a note pad. Joli smiled as she watched Lindsey write down her number.

"Here's my numbers. Top is my house and bottom is my cell." she smiled and handed the paper to Joli. "We should grab lunch or something. Show you some parts of New York that you're dad is too old to see." she teased. Sid shook his head and waited for the girls to finish.

"Sure. Do you have a usual lunch break?" Joli asked, sticking the paper in her pocket.

"We try too." Lindsey laughed. "Usually about 1pm if we're not too busy. If you call and I don't answer leave a message and I'll call right back." she told her.

"Well, I might call you tomorrow. I don't start school or my rotations until next week." Joli smiled. Lindsey nodded and grabbed he evidence.

"I'll be waiting. It was nice to meet you." she smiled and walked out. Joli waved and when Lindsey was gone she turned back to her dad.

"Making friends already." he smiled. Joli grabbed his arm and looked around.

"I don't see any bodies and it's almost four, can ya leave?" she smiled sweetly. He looked at his watch and smiled.

"Go get the car ready and I'll meet you out there when I grab my things." he smiled and kissed her head.

* * *

Don walked through the hallway of the lab and headed to the break room. He was looking for Danny or Lindsey but one found him first.

"Flack!" Lindsey called out as she stepped out from the elevator. The blue eyed detective turned around and waved a piece of paper at her.

"I got a something." he called out. She smiled and caught up with him.

"I got a skin under her nails and a COD." she challenged. He smirked down at the tiny CSI. This had been a game since the first case they worked together. Lindsey quickly became the one who figured out the tiniest things that lead to bigger things. So they got to where they would try and out do each other by who found what and whether it was more important.

"I got a name and a work place." he retorted. She looked up at him impressed and nodded.

"Okay, you get that one." she smiled and walked into the trace lab. "But if the skin turns out to be someone other than hers, I so steal this one." she winked. He nodded and threw the flyer down.

"Stella Ivory, yeah I know weird." he said, noticing the look on her face when he said Stella. "I searched all through Central Park and got nothing until I go to get coffee and the cashier knew her." he said as Lindsey looked at the flyer.

"Have you gone there to talk to them yet?" she asked pointing to the name of the modeling agency. Don shook his head and took the flyer from her.

"Not yet. I was waiting to see what you all had found." he told her. Lindsey smiled as Danny walked through the door.

"Well, you know what I found." she said casually. "But ask Messer what he found." Danny shot her a glare and opened the bag of evidence. Don noticed the exchange and smirked.

"What did you find, Danny?" he asked. Danny ignored the question and started to look over the expensive dress. Don looked over at Lindsey of the answer.

"He found his foot in his mouth after he met Sid's daughter." Lindsey laughed. Don laughed and looked over at Danny.

"What did I miss?" he asked. Danny sighed and looked over at him before Lindsey could say anything.

"I wasn't being the nicest guy." he said slowly. "I was telling Montana-"

"And everyone else." Lindsey added while Danny glared.

"That I thought his daughter might be a little weird like him. Kinda kooky and morbid." he explained. Don watched as Lindsey's smile grew and grew.

"Keep going." Don smirked.

"And we're in the break room when this girl comes in. She's cute." Danny smirked. "Tiny waist, filled for a petit girl. She's not dressed up or anything, just a fitted shirt and jeans, but she comes and-"

"Fabio here, who thinks he's the hot shit, stands up and struts over and tried to help her out. His eyes got huge when she asked where the morgue was." Lindsey laughed. Danny laid his head on the table as his two friends laughed at his expense.

"So she wasn't as kooky as you thought?" Don laughed and looked over at Lindsey. "I missed the best part of the day."

"Yeah, you did. But don't worry, I laughed enough for both of us." she smiled and threw a pen at Danny. "I took her down there to see her dad and she just left." Don nodded and stood up straight.

"Well, who wants to come with me to talk to these people?" Don said tapping the paper. Lindsey pointed at Danny and smiled.

"Danny got the cookie from Sid, so take him." she smiled. "If I get someone's else's DNA from the skin, I'll call ya."

Danny picked his head up and took his lab coat off.

"Where are we going?" he asked Don as they walked out.

"Modeling agency." Don told him with a smirk. Danny sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Great, more women." he muttered. Don clapped him on the back and laughed.

"Don't change teams on me Messer. I wouldn't feel comfortable at our poker games any more." Don laughed and pressed the elevator button. Danny glared at him and crossed his arms.

"Wise ass."

* * *

**Like it or not? Reviews? Please and thank you. :)**


	3. Welcome To The Building

Thanks for all the great reviews! I'm glad everyone is liking this. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I imagined this as their meeting for a while...lol. But there's another one too, you'll see what I mean after you read it! Well, enjoy! :)

**hope4sall- **Yes, I'm trying to add a little humor in here. I hope you like this meeting...lol.

**katydid13- **I will explain why they are such good friends later on. But it's to do with the whole Danny and Don friendship and Lindsey having feelings for Danny. It will all come out. I was hoping no one thought they were going to hook up...lol.

**BEG75- **Yes, again, I wanna try adding some humor in here. We all know Danny and Don are funny so why not try and add it in there! And I'm not good at funny at all, so I'm really trying. But it feel slike it's really flowing when I write Joli, so maybe I just needed the right OC...lol. Thanks! :)

**iheartcsinewyork- **She is fun to write! I have had a blast writing her so far. And I realy wanted Linds to be a main character in this one. Beign that they both moved to New York and were out of place kinda...lol. Danny wouldn't be Danny if he didn't stick his foot in his mouth...lol. Glad you liked it!

**JaydenBell- **Yes, that's why I didn't freak when you said you were iffy about this. It takes a few chapters to get in the groove. But thanks for all the supoprt for Bonds and sticking with me so far on this one. I hope you like this meeting...lol. There will be another though, trust me.

**WinchesterWench- **Aww thanks! Yes, Danny is so cute and funny, and lordy if Flack wasn't there, I'd jump all over him...lol. Glad you liked it!! :)

**PadFootCc- **Thanks for the review! i hope you enjoy this part of the meeting!

**Soccer-Bitch- **Thanks so much! Enjoy! :)

* * *

By the time Danny and Don arrived at the modeling agency, they were both ready to run Don's cell over. Devon had called a total of fifteen times since they left the precinct. She only left five messages but all said the exact same thing.

_Donnie baby, it's me, Devon. I've been calling for a while now. And I haven't got you yet. Call me, soon._

Her voice went from really sweet to that evil harsh voice you'd expect from your mother when you broke her favorite vase.

"Tell me again why you're still with her?" Danny asked as they got out of the Chevy Avalanche.

"I honestly don't know, Messer." Don sighed and pressed the alarm and lock button. He looked up at the sign that read Elegance Modeling.

"Well, if she makes you cancel poker night one more time, I'm going to knock her off the imaginary pedestal she thinks she sits on." Danny threatened. Don smirked at him and pushed through the front doors. They looked around at the huge magazine covers on the walls. Danny tapped Don on the shoulder and pointed at a picture at the end of the wall.

"There's our girl." he told him. Don nodded and walked over to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" they lady asked smiling at them. Don smiled back and pointed to the picture of their victim.

"We need someone who knows her." he told her. She looked at the picture and smiled.

"Well, that's Stella. She's not here today but her manager and photographer are. Let me buzz them up for you." she smiled and picked up her phone. "Mr. Galiano, there are two gentlemen here about Stella." she nodded and held the phone to her shoulder. "May I ask why you're here?"

"It's police business, ma'am." Don answered, pulling his jacket back and exposing his badge. She nodded and put the phone back to her ear.

"They are with the NYPD, sir." she nodded again before hanging up. "If you go straight down the hall, her manager's office is at the end. He will see you now."

Danny and Don walked down the long hallway slowly and peeked in the open doorways as they passed. Some where offices and other were tiny studio's where photo sessions were being held. Danny's eyes almost didn't pry away from one with two girls posing in bathing suits. Don chuckled at this and pulled him away.

"Hey, you get to look at a fine piece everyday. I, on the other hand, do not. So don't ruin my dreams." Danny defended.

"I thought you didn't like Devon?" Don smirked as they stopped in front of the office door.

"I don't. But I can't deny she's a fine piece." Danny smirked back. Don shook his head and knocked on the door. After a faint yell for them to come on in, they pushed the door open and stepped in a very plush office.

"Hello, gentlemen." the man greeted. "I'm John Galiano. My secretary said you're hear about Stella?" he asked and motioned for them to sit. Both declined the seat and Danny walked around the room.

"Yes, we found Miss. Ivory's body early this morning in Central Park. I found this flyer for last night's show at a local store." Don told him and laid the flyer down. John looked down at it sadly and nodded.

"Yes, she was leading the show, wore the star outfit and got to walk with the designer. It's what she's waited for since she first came here." he told them softly. "I can't believe she's gone."

"Mr. Galiano, we'll need to ask you a few questions? Is that alright?" Don asked and he nodded. "Were you there last night?"

"Yes, I'm her manager and the manage most of the girls that ran last night." he nodded.

"Can you recant to us what went down last night? Time it started, time it was over? Anything odd?" Danny added, still looking around the room.

"Well, we got there around 5pm to start getting ready. The show didn't start until 8, she was the first out on the runway and she went out at about 8:15. She did her last run at 8:45 and walked with the designer around 9." he told them. "She seemed fine during the runway and at the after party."

"Who was at the after party?" Don asked, finally taking a seat.

"All the models, the designer and her family. Other designers and models. I can have the list copied for you. It has everyone that was there including the employees." he told them.

"What time did the after party end?" Don asked. Danny's phone rang and Don looked over at him. Danny briefly left the office and when he came back in he sat down.

"I'm not sure when it ended but I left at about 1:30am. Stella left a little after 12:30." he told them. Danny and Don exchanged a looked. That only left a 30 minute time period for her to be killed.

"Has anyone threatened her lately? Held a grudge?" Danny asked. John rubbed his face and sighed.

"Not that I can tell. I know there was bad blood between Stella and Monique Anderson." he said. "Monique was the front runner for the runway show but at the last minute the designer gave it to Stella. I didn't think it'd be a big deal, seeing as I manage both girls and Monique has had more cover time than Stella. There was a slight argument but that was weeks ago."

"I'll need the addresses for both women and the name of the designer, Mr. Galiano." Don told him and stood up. John nodded and picked up his phone.

"Marge, give these nice detectives a copy of last night's guest list and Stella's address." he said and hung up. He pulled out a black book and wrote down a number.

"The designer is Melonie Dias. This is the office number, it gives directions to her studio. It's right off of Broadway. You can find Monique at 1456 W. 145th, apartment 45D." he told them and handed over the information. Danny and Don said their thank you and left.

"Was that Linds?" Don asked.

"Yeah, DNA under the vic's skin was female." he told him. "But it wasn't the vic's." he smirked.

"Well, I guess that leaves Galiano out." Don told him. "Why do I get the feeling this case is going to end with me being really pissed off because it was some stupid rivalry between models?" Don asked and looked over at Danny.

"Because so far our only suspects are females that all work in the fashion industry." Danny laughed. "And we're in New York."

* * *

Words really couldn't describe what it felt like to be with her father again. It was weird being able to talk to him face to face rather than on the phone. Part of her felt like it had been way too long since she had seen him and the other part felt like it was natural, like there was no time spent apart. It still hadn't set in that she didn't have to leave in two weeks and have to say goodbye, she was here for good. She didn't have to feel the pain of saying bye to her father and seeing him walk away with his head down as she stepped on the plane. She didn't have to hear her mother bad mouth him when she got home. This was for real. She was in New York. She was home, with her father.

Sid felt the mix of feelings too. He was trying to pay attention to her but he was also trying to figure out where all the time went. One day he watched as she learned to read a book and the next him and Laura were getting a divorce. As the years past he missed getting to see her grow up, only seeing what Laura sent, which wasn't a lot. It wasn't until Joli was a twelve and asked her teacher to teach her how to use the internet and a camera. He personally called her teacher one day, after he received about twenty pictures of the girls that Joli had taken, and thanked her for her help. After that it was almost surreal when they talked. Sure all she talked about was boys and the latest high school drama but now was different. She was an adult now. He kept looking over at her in awe at how much she had grown and it sadden him to realize just how much he mad missed.

"Anyways, she couldn't hack it and quit the next day." Joli smiled taking a bite of her fried rice. They had drove to her apartment and grabbed Chinese take out on the way. They had yet to move anything around or unpack so the dining furniture was the floor. "I mean, who goes to be a nurse with a weak stomach?" she laughed, looking over at him.

"Yes, it's a tad naïve, huh?" Sid smiled and laid his tiny box down. "So will this do for now?" he asked looking around the apartment. When Joli had decided to come out she just told him to find a place with a small lease. She wanted to look around New York and find her own place but she needed to move fast. So Sid did some digging and he found a tiny two bedroom apartment with a four month lease. It was a tad pricey but it was only temporary.

"Yes, it's cute." she smiled and looked around at her bare living room. "I think I'll start looking for another place after I start school. Get familiar with the area and then find something I like."

"You going to rent or buy?" Sid asked. He knew she started saving money when she started school. She was going to by a place in Seattle but when she decided to go back to school she kept her apartment. Part of her knew she was going to come to New York.

"Depends what I find and if I can get approved. I don't want a sky high mortgage." she laughed. Sid nodded and went to stand up but stopped. Joli laughed out loud and stood up.

"Gettin' old, dad?" she smiled and held her hands out. He grabbed her hands and pushed up and stood on his feet.

"Yes, but with age comes wisdom." he smiled.

"And gray hair, then balding." she laughed and picked up the take out boxes.

"I had gray hair long before I was old. You can thank your mother for that." he chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. Joli smiled and threw away the containers.

"It's the only thing I can thank her for." she told. He leaned on the counter and wiped his glasses off.

"Talk to me, Jo." he whispered and put his glasses back on. Joli sighed and leaned against the counter. She looked down at the tiles on the ground before speaking.

"I had no ulterior motives for coming to New York." she told him firmly. He bowed his head and peered at her over the rims of his glasses.

"Don't lie to me, Joli." he told her. "I might have missed the better part of your years but I know my daughter." She smirked hearing his fatherly tone come out. She wasn't one to listen to her mom but it was different with her dad. He didn't flat out verbally attack her like Laura did, he talked to her. Actually talked to her and she liked that.

"I missed you." she told him. "I was getting tired of having mom breathing down my neck and yelling at me for going back to school. I needed space and I wanted to get out. So here I am." she smiled.

Sid looked at his daughter as she smiled and talked. He knew she wasn't telling him the whole story. He also knew that if he pressed her to hard, she might go back home. Again, he might have missed out on the better part of her life but he knew his own child. He knew the thing she hated the most was being interrogated, being bugged for answers when she wasn't ready to give any. He knew that when she was ready to tell him or anyone what was going on in the head of hers, she tell them. But only if she was ready and not a moment sooner.

"Alright." he nodded. "So Melinda will be back soon. She was really upset when she found out she would be gone when you arrived, but she's coming back in two days."

There were many days Joli wished that Melinda was her mother. Her and Sid had been married for nearly seven years now and Joli loved her. She was a teacher and occasionally helped out at the homeless shelters during the winter months. Of course, Joli and Celesti didn't like her at first. It was one thing with their mother remarrying, they knew she didn't love him, but when Sid married Melinda, they knew he loved her. He had been married way to many times to marry again for nothing less than forever. They warmed up to her after they realized she wasn't trying to be their mother or step mother, she simply wanted to be their friend.

"Yeah, she called the night before I left and apologized that she wouldn't be able to be there. Said she'd make it up to me when she got home by cooking my favorite." Joli smiled and laughed when her father took his hands and made a mock bowing motion at her.

"Coconut-Curry Lentil Stew?" Sid moaned, already tasting the savory coconut and curry mix in his mouth. "Thank you, my child. She won't make it when I ask but if you or CiCi come home, she won't think twice." he laughed.

"Jealous that she loves your kids more than you?" Joli smirked and patted his shoulder. It wasn't a secret that Melinda couldn't have kids and that was her love. She wanted to be a lawyer but half way through her second year at Harvard she found out she couldn't have children and dropped out. Her husband, at the time, divorced her after she told him she wanted to be a teacher and move to New York. Although, she didn't get the full childhood of Joli and Celesti, she still cherished them being in New York.

"Oh, she's just playing nice." Sid teased and looked down at his watch. "Well, my dear, it's getting late. I must be going now." he smiled softly. Joli set her glass down and walked over to hug him. She smiled when he hugged her as tight as he could, like he was afraid to let go.

"You have no idea how happy I am to have you back here." he whispered and kissed her temple. She smiled at him and gave him a kiss in the cheek.

"Probably, about as happy as I am to be back." she laughed. They said their goodbyes and when he left she shut the door and walked into her living room.

"Great." she grumbled, looking at the boxes, wrapped up furniture and trash everywhere. She looked over at the clock and it flashed 10:47pm. She bit her lip, contemplating whether she should move things around or just let it be. She decided against it and walked to her bedroom.

She made sure to have her bed ready incase she didn't finish or it got to late and now it paid off. She let out a long sigh as she flopped down on the bed and rested all of her limbs. She didn't even want to move to lay on the pillow as she closed her eyes and relaxed.

All seemed well and quiet until a faint noise came through the wall. Joli's eyes flicked open and she sat up on the edge of her bed. She realized she got a tiny bit of sleep as the clock next to her read 11:58pm. She waited to hear anything else and was about to lay back down when a tiny thud came against her wall. She glared at the wall and stood up. She pressed her hands and one ear against the wall just as another, louder noise came through. There was no mistaking what kind of noise that was.

"Oh my god." Joli huffed as another thud came from the next apartment. Her next door neighbors were…well, going at it. And apparently, he was doing his job well. Joli stared at the wall, arms crossed. as the moans and thuds became quicker and louder. She stood there until they stopped and smirked.

She turned all the lights on in the apartment and flung the wrapping off of her furniture. She purposely made sure she ran into the wall behind her when she pushed the bed side table next to her bed. She started moving her boxes around and threw them in the corner. She waited for a minute to see if she herd anything from next door and almost pouted that she hadn't cause a ruckus. That pout changed to a smirk when a loud banging came from her door. She sauntered into her living room and walked to the door, flinging it open when she reached it.

* * *

Don was not excited about going over to Devon's. She had corned him at the diner after leaving the agency and made sure he promised to come by her place when he got off. He agreed but he didn't want to. The last place he wanted to be, after a long day of stuck up rich models, was with another stuck up rich woman.

After leaving the agency Don was proved right. They didn't even have to go over to Melonie Dias's office. They went to see Monique Anderson first and the scratches on her hand proved to be enough to call her the number one suspect. She was also around the given height of the killer, 5'6". After hours of getting the warrant for her DNA, then brining her in and cracking her, they finally got a confession.

She was pissed because Melonie replaced her with a taller model, Stella. After the party was over Monique asked Stella to walk with her through Central Park where she proceeded to choke her. She said she didn't mean to but that was only after Danny cuffed her and started to walk her to lock up. Lindsey ended up going to Monique's apartment and gathered a pair of panty hose in the garbage, which had Stella's DNA and sweat all over it. It was an open and close case, but it aggravated Don.

He looked at his watch before slipping the key into Devon's door.

11:04pm.

He slipped the key in and before he could even say hello Devon came flying around the corner and shut the door behind him. She smiled as she pressed against him and pinned him against the door.

"I missed you." she whispered and brought her lips to his neck. He rolled his eyes and slinked his hands around her waist.

"And I'm tired. Can we go to sleep, please?" he begged. She moved away from him and pouted.

"But Donnie, I waited for you." she cooed. "Just a quickie, please?" she said batting her eye lashes and playing with his belt buckle.

"Fine." he groaned. "But after that you leave me alone. I've had a long and annoying day. I don't need you adding to it." he grumbled as she pulled him back to the room.

It didn't take long for them to strip. As much as Don wanted to sleep and stay away from her, he was a man and he couldn't deny that Devon was gorgeous. The feeling grew stronger as he peeled off her clothes and laid her back. He thought back to what Danny asked him earlier, why he was with her. He smirked looking down at her as she moaned and gasped his name, this was why. He knew it shouldn't be that way but him and Devon both knew that the only reason they were together was the sex. He wouldn't give her anymore than that and she knew that. She got as much of him as she could and tried to make it seem like more, but deep inside, she knew it wasn't for real.

After the escapade they both laid their panting and staring at the ceiling. Don looked over at the clock and groaned when it changed from 11:59 and midnight. Devon rolled over to lay on his chest and sighed. He wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes. It was a only a matter of minutes before they shot open, after hearing a screeching sound and then a thud

"What the fuck is that?" he grumbled and turned to look at the wall behind her bed. Devon sighed and sat up.

"Some dorky ass girl moved in next door. I mean, Donnie, this girl was geeky. She had the hideous glasses on and was wearing the most unflattering jeans and shirt." she laughed and Don glared at her. "Anyways, she's been moving stuff around all day. It's been quite until now."

"It's fucking midnight." he grumbled and laid back down, covering his face with a pillow. He sighed and moved the pillow when he didn't feel Devon lay back down.

"What?" he snapped looking over at her. She tapped the wall and looked at him expectantly.

"Aren't you going to do something about it? You are a cop, Donnie." she said crossing her arms.

"A detective. A homicide detective. And incase you forgot what that means, it means I deal with dead people not noise violations." he spat at her. She frowned and stared at him.

"Well, it's murdering my sleep and your's, so go do something." she ordered. Don screamed into the pillow and laid there for a minute.

_'It's stay here and let her bug me or go over there.'_ he threw back and forth. Suddenly, he ripped the sheets of his bed and pulled on a paid of sweats. Devon squealed and jumped out of bed, grabbing her tiny pink robe and pulling it on as she followed him out the door. He brought his fist up and banged on the door as loud as he could and waited for the door to open.

* * *

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever but it was only a few seconds. Joli stared at the half naked man at her door.

_'So this is the man that did his job so well it kept her up?'_ she thought. She tried to keep her eyes on his face but the temptation to look lower was overwhelming. He had no shirt on and although she could make out a few large but faint scars, he was very well sculpted. She swore she felt herself flush when she looked a tad lower to see his pants hanging low in his hips. Her eyes then drifted to the scantily clad red head behind him, a smug look on her face. Joli smirked and finally looked back at the man.

"I'm taking this isn't a '_welcome to the building'_ visit?" she asked, leaning in her doorway.

Don couldn't help but look over Devon's new neighbor. She wasn't ugly like Devon had said, she was attractive, but he could see why Devon would think that. The girl was now wearing a pair of short cotton shorts that showed off her long toned legs and a white tank. She was casual wear like Devon was Prada wear. He had to admit she had the slight geeky appeal only because of the glasses. They made her look smart and added to the appeal she had. But all these thoughts vanished after she opened her mouth. He smirked and leaned one hand on the frame she was leaning on.

"No, it's more like a _'stop banging around so I can sleep'_ visit." he told her.

"Ya know I could have had the same visit about five minutes ago when I was trying to sleep and all I could hear was the moans of a girl trying to make her boy toy feel good about himself." she retorted. Don glared at the young woman and crossed his arms.

"Pay back's a bitch, huh?" Joli smirked and shut the door in his face. Don stared at her door and wanted to smirk but didn't think Devon would like that.

"That's it?" Devon asked walking up to him. He sighed and leaned closer to the door. "You're just going to let her talk to us that way?'

"Would you shut up?" he snarled and listened. After hearing her footsteps stop and silence fill the apartment and turned back to Devon. "She's gone to bed. Now can I do the same without you bugging the hell out of me?" he asked and walked past her. Devon glared a the door and followed Don back to her place. They crawled back into bed and Don was about to close his eyes when Devon spoke.

"Told you she was hideous." she commented. Don groaned and sat up.

"Just because her wardrobe doesn't cost as much as a house in the Hamptons, does not mean she's ugly or a geek." he told her. She glared at him and pointed to the wall.

"You think she's pretty?" she asked in disbelief. Don, once again, ripped the covers from his legs, and jumped out of bed. He gathered his clothes as Devon stared at him. "You're leaving?"

"Yes." he replied shortly.

"Why?" she asked. He stood up straight and glared at her.

"Because I can't stand to b near you right now." he told her and walked out. She stared at the door after he walked out and finally flopped back into the bed, pouting.


	4. First 24 Hours

Hey! Thanks a bunch for all the reviews. Seriously, they make my day!! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)

**katydid13- **Thanks! :) I explain more on why they are friends in this one and more later on.

**BEG75- **HaHa...Yeah! Don and Joil have a few more interesting meetings before the light really blinds both of them...lol. I'm glad you liked it though. I was really proud of myself with this chapter and my little comments.

**iheartcsinewyork- **Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, Joil isn't one to back down...lol. And yes, neither is Don and that IS soo sexy! ;)

**hope4sall- **Thanks! Everyone gets the laughs out at Devon, I love it! Unfortunately, she will be around a tad bit longer but don't worry. In the end it's all worth it...lol.

**Soccer-Bitch- **Thanks!! :)

**JaydenBell- **Yes, Devon is nothing but an instigator in this story, which we shall see soon. But it will all work out, until we can all laugh at her expense! :)

**WinchesterWench- **Thanks! I'm glad everyone is tkaing to Joli like they are! And again, Devon will be around a tad bit longer but it's worth it. :)

* * *

"Who does he think he is?" Joli mumbled to herself as she squeezed the toothpaste onto her purple brush. She hadn't slept at all last night after her encounter with her new neighbor. The image of his toned chest and how low his pants hung on his hips haunted her mind and the curiosity of how he got those scars were too much for her brain to handle. The eyes. Those eyes were unbelievable. She had always been a softy for a nice pair of blue eyes and he had that and more. He had the whole package it seemed. The tall, dark and handsome. Every girls dream come true stood in her doorway last night but right behind him was the nightmare. She could only image how snotty his girl was and that immediately sent Joli to believe he was like that too.

"Walkin' around half naked, keeping the whole floor up listening to him and his bimbo have fake orgasm's." she mumbled again and held the brush to her mouth. She put the brush in her mouth and started to scrub, while glaring in the mirror.

"And who walks around in that tiny bit of cloth? Talk about a brat." she kept going as she brushed her teeth, spitting tiny bits of paste onto her mirror. She took the brush out to spit and wiped her mouth as she leaned back up. She tilted her head and stared at her self in the mirror. She had also been tossing around whether or not she had caught him checking her out. She moved some hair out of her face and turned to one side. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

"He wasn't checking me out." she brushed it off and rinsed out her toothbrush. She set it in the cup and wiped her mirror off before walking back into her bedroom. She managed to quietly set her room up and the living room up. She had all the kitchen stuff in there but hadn't gotten around to putting it all up. Part of her didn't want to. She knew she'd be moving in the next few months and didn't want to move all this stuff again but she hoped she would have more than just her dad to help her next time.

_Ding Dong! The witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding Dong! The wicked witch is dead._

Joli smirked and walked over to grab her phone.

"Hello, mother." she answered, sitting on her bed.

"Joli." Laura replied harshly. "I expected a call from you yesterday." Joli rolled her eyes and looked down at her nails.

"Really? I didn't know I was expected to do so." Joli told her casually.

"It was expected." Laura seethed. "I'm your mother and you're my daughter. One usually calls when the other moves to the other side of the country."

_'Not when it was you who made the other move away.'_ Joli thought.

"Well, I'm sorry mother, but I was busy." she told her mother. After she did she knew she should have just shut up, this left a perfect opening for her mother to mention her father.

"Oh yes, your father." Laura droned. "How is he by the way? Still married to that woman or has she finally had enough of the smell of death and despair?" Joli sighed and threw herself back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I'm not talking about this with you." Joli told her firmly.

"No need to get defensive, Joli. I was just simply-"

"Simply about to disrespect my father and Melinda." Joli cut in. "I'm tired of you trying to turn me against him. He's my father. You're life must be more screwed up than I thought, huh? Having to resort to defaming the father of your children in order to get a kick. That's pretty damn sad, Laura." Joli snapped.

She was tired of this. Her father was a very respectable, smart and caring man. There was no need to try and spoil that. There was no need for Laura to try and turn his own children against him. Joli and Celesti had long ago wondered if the reason Laura hated him so much was because she still loved him. Neither knew the real reason they divorced or who filed first and honestly, they didn't want to know. Joli saw it as the past and thought it should stay there and Celesti didn't want to be bothered by it. It was better off staying a mystery for now, talking about it would only make it worse.

"Don't you dare talk to me that way!" Laura yelled on the other line. "I am your mother-"

"You are an egotistical, condescending woman. You are far from a mother. You prove that every time you make a snide remark about my father and every time you mock me for doing something I love. A mother is supposed to support, love and encourage her children. And ya know what? It'd be a cold day in hell before you ever did that for me or for Celesti." Joli yelled. All the anger she had felt had finally risen. She wasn't sure why she was set off so easily, maybe it was the distant between them, but she wasn't stopping now.

"Oh stop it." Laura gritted. "He's no saint so don't make him out to be one."

"Oh and you are?" Joli laughed, sarcastically. "No, ya know what? He's not a saint. But at least he has the decency and respect for his children that he would never utter one wrong word about their mother in front of them, no matter how much she rants about him. And that right there, mother, makes him a hell of a better person than you."

"Oh please, Sid Hammerback is nothing but a shell of a man. Why do you think he deals with dead people? The living can't stand him. You'll find out in time. All in good time, my dear." Laura told her. Joli gaped at the phone. A normal person would have stopped and let the conversation drop. A normal mother would have apologized by now. Bu not Laura. Joli was fortunate enough to get the mother that wouldn't back down. Laura simply vain enough to think she was above everyone else. She had no idea what the word altruism meant.

Joli snapped from her thoughts and flipped her phone shut. She just couldn't believe that someone could be so self-centered and cruel. Sure, she had met people that thought they were better than her, but none to the extent of her mother.

_Ding Dong! The witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding Dong! The wicked witch is dead._

Joli glared at her phone as her mother's ring tone played through. She reached over and hit the ignore button and stood up to go get dressed.

_Ding Dong! The witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding Dong! The wicked witch is dead._

She groaned and walked back over to the bed and hit the volume button down until I read vibrate across the screen. She laid it on the side table and walked over to her closet again. She let out a frustrated scream when her phone started to buzz on her table. She stomped over to the phone, snatched it up and answered.

"Universal meaning of the action of hanging up: I don't want to talk to you." Joli hissed sardonically.

"Oh wow, you must have had a horrible night." the voice laughed on the other end. Joli took the phone away from her ear and stared at the number. It was a New York number. Her face turned red when she placed the voice.

"Lindsey?" Joli asked, sitting on her bed.

"Yeah." Lindsey laughed. "But thanks for the definition. I should relay that to Danny."

"Oh my lord, I'm so sorry." Joil apologized. "I've only been awake for a few hours and so far this day is crap." she sighed.

"Well, how about we talk about it over lunch?" Lindsey asked.

"I'd love that." Joli gushed and stood up again. "Where do you want me to meet you?" she asked as she searched through her closet.

"Do you remember how to get to the lab?" Lindsey asked.

"Yep." Joli nodded and pulled out a pair of dark wash jeans.

"Well, it's a tiny café three blocks west. It's called Monty's. I should be there in an hour." Lindsey told her. Joli looked over at the clock and nodded.

"Alright, that works. I'll see you there." she smiled. Joli hung up and threw the phone on her bed. She looked back in her closet and finally settled on a white and green wrap top. She slipped into a pair of white flats and headed for the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror before adding a bit of foundation under her eyes and a little mascara. She decided to let her hair stay down but grabbed a tie incase it got too hot.

She couldn't help but smile as she grabbed her purse and phone to leave. She was afraid New York would be too busy for her to really start a life but it was turning out to be the opposite. She and Lindsey seemed to be getting along. Granted, they had only met once but Joli liked the way she put Danny in his place. Lindsey seemed like a confident woman, a smart woman. You had to be smart to work in the field she was in, hell to work in the NY Crime Lab at that. Joli liked that. She liked seeing beautiful, strong women in the workplace. She was far from one of those feminist activist but she liked it when she saw women working side by side by males. It kept her going, it kept her determined to stand next to the men in her field.

Now, if only her mother would understand and appreciate that.

* * *

He ran, he jogged, he kicked, he boxed and he barley slept. Now he was simply staring at the sidewalk. He was restless. He, for some reason, could not shake Devon's new neighbor from his mind. She wasn't his type but he couldn't stop the image of her popping up in his mind when he closed his eyes. There was something about her. Something that he couldn't pin point but something that drove him crazy. He leaned back on the bench and closed his eyes, remembering her from head to toe.

Maybe it was her eyes. How could something be so pale but so bright? He never understood when people would compliment him on his own eyes, they were just eyes. But last night that changed when he looked in hers. Looking into hers almost made him not want to look down but he was a man after all.

Or maybe it was how she didn't dress up to go to bed. Devon had bad habit of picking out the perfect night gown before going to sleep. The girl last night looked simple, not made up. He never understood it but never said anything in fear of getting a speech on how to look good.

_'There is a reason they call it beauty sleep, Donnie.'_ she scolded him one time. He never got her and he knew he never would. It wasn't that she was complicated, she was real easy, literally at times. She was all about shoes, purses and clothes. Oh and money. Don thought it would be nice to have a woman that wasn't so complicated but now he was wishing for a challenge and all the stress that came with one.

"Fuck." he mumbled and fished his phone out of his pocket. He looked at the ringing phone and sighed when it read Messer. "Yeah?"

"Where are you?" Danny asked. Don chuckled and rubbed his head.

"Hello, to you too." Don said sarcastically.

"Seriously, where are you?" Danny asked.

"Uh, a bench on Liberty." Don replied, confused as to why he was asking.

"Really? 'Cause for the past ten minutes you've looked like you were in la, la land." Danny told him and hung up. Don flipped his phone shut and looked around. When his eyes landed on Danny across the street, he flipped him off. Danny ran across the street and sat next to his previously spaced out friend.

"How long have you been there?" Don asked. Danny smirked and looked over at him.

"Oh, long enough to know that if you would have stared at that spot on the ground any longer, you would have owed it a drink." Danny laughed and set his elbows on his knees. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Don sighed and dropped his head forward.

"Don't lie. It's a sin." Danny told him. "It's your day off, you should be happy. Not making googley eyes at the sidewalk and looking like death took over." Don couldn't help but smirk at that. Danny always found a way to lighten a mood.

"It's just-" Don started and sighed. "There's this girl."

"Here we go." Danny chuckled and leaned back.

"Seriously, so I go to Devon's last night, we do a little something, I try and go bed but there's this screeching from next door. Dev pops up and says a new girl moved in and has been moving all day. I try and go back to bed but Miss. Priss won't let me. Makes me go over to the new girl's and confront her." Don explained. "Girl opens the door and…"

"She's naked?" Danny blurted out, smirking. Don smirked back and shook his head.

"No. Opposite. She's in a plain pair of shorts and a wife beater." Don told him.

"And?" Danny asked.

"And what?"

"That's it? She got you all hot and bothered by wearing shorts and a tank?" Danny asked, laughing. Don glared at him and crossed his arms.

"No, she just won't go away." Don told him. "Devon had the nerve to call her ugly."

"Was she?" Danny asked.

"No, she was cute, in a smart kind of way. She wasn't made up like Devon. It was simple." Don tried to explain as best as he could without seeming like an idiot.

"I get ya." Danny nodded. "You're so used to seeing and being around Devon who's made up all the time, you forgot what a real woman looks like."

"But I see Stella, Jess and Linds everyday. Why does this broad keep popping up in my head?" Don asked.

"Maybe you like her." Danny suggested. Don stared at him and shook his head.

"Nah, she ain't my type. Plus, she seemed snobby. Not Devon snobby but I'm smarter than you snobby." Don explained. Danny chuckled and removed his glasses to clean them.

"Well, I don't know about you," he said and put his glasses back on to look over at Don. "But I'm starving. How's about we go get some lunch?"

* * *

"Hey!" Joli greeted when she walked up to the table Lindsey was at. The girls exchanged hugs and sat down. "Thanks for calling me. I would have died sitting at the house all day."

"Oh it's no problem. I got a case done early and if Mac needs me, he'll call me." Lindsey smiled.

"Mac's the guy who runs the lab right?" Joli asked. She had heard a little about the lab from her dad but nothing too detailed. All she knew about Mac was that he was an ex-marine and a very respectable and smart man.

"Yes, Mac Taylor." Lindsey nodded. "He's a good man. Not too hard on ya, but he's far from a softy."

"Yeah, my old Lit. professor was an in the Marine's. It was horrible because he was older and started getting senile. He retired when he realized he was teaching a class and not giving orders to troops." Joli chuckled. Lindsey laughed and waved the waitress over.

"That's horrible."

"Ready to order?" the waitress smiled.

"Yes, can I have the turkey burger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise?" Lindsey ordered. "A water to drink with that, please." The waitress nodded and looked over at Joli who was looking over the menu. She was surprised to see that they had a tiny vegetarian menu.

"I'd like the Avocado Dream, please. Also with water." Joli smiled up at the waitress. "Do you have the vegan cream cheese or the regular?"

"Oh we have the vegan substitute." she smiled. "Any particular bread?"

"Multigrain, if you have it." Joli smiled. The waitress nodded and walked off. Lindsey looked over her and smiled weakly.

"You're a vegetarian?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah, have been since I was six." Joli smiled. "But I'm not going to give you a speech on how you shouldn't eat meat." she added, seeing the look on Lindsey's face.

"Okay, I wasn't sure if you were comfortable with me eating it in front of you." Lindsey told her.

"Oh no, it's fine. At first, I tried to turn everyone into a vegan but it didn't work." Joli smiled. "I hate to do it but I cook for my dad and sister. I just don't eat it."

"So about your horrible first 24 hours in New York." Lindsey smirked when Joli let out a low groan and leaned back in her seat.

"Okay, so my dad helps me move some stuff around, we have dinner and he goes home. I'm exhausted so I go lay down. Well, not too long after I fall asleep I hear tiny noises from next door." Joli explained. Lindsey's eye brows raised and Joli nodded.

"Yes, those sounds." Joli confirmed and Lindsey laughed. "They get louder and their bed hit's the wall a few times and all I can do is wait for them to stop."

"Oh my lord, he must have been doing his job well." Lindsey laughed. Joli knew last night she did not find this funny but recanting it this morning, she found it quite entertaining.

"I don't doubt it." she giggled. "Anyways, it finally stops and I decided to move some things around. Next thing I know there's a banging at me door and the two people next door neighbors are at my door, half naked." Joli laughed when Lindsey's eyes widened.

"Welcome to New York." she laughed. "Was he cute?" Joli bit her lip and nodded.

"Yeah, he was. But he looked like an ass. They both looked like the building prom king and queen." Joli told her.

"Wow, that was a great first night." Lindsey laughed.

"Yeah and this morning my mom calls to bad mouth my dad. I hung up on her and turned the ringer off to avoid her, hence why I answered like I did." Joli smiled softly.

"Yeah, it was quite interesting." Lindsey laughed. "Still I'm going to use that line on Messer one day." Joli tilted her head and stared at her new friend.

"So, uh what's there between you two?" she asked slowly. Lindsey nodded and looked over at her seriously.

"It's a long story but you'll find out eventually because honestly, my confidant has been Danny's best friend and as much as I love Don, I need a girl to talk to." Lindsey confessed. It was true. Ever since Rueben died and Danny slowly started to fall apart, Don had been there to help and talk to Danny. They knew Danny the best and they were worried. Don was afraid he was loosing his best friend and Lindsey was loosing the man she fell in love with. When Lindsey just couldn't take seeing him that way she'd go to Don and talk to him. They never had much to talk about for that but their main concern was getting Danny back. Through that they learned a lot about each other and learned that the other really did care about him.

"Well, the only plans I have before next Monday are tomorrow night at my dad's house. So we can have all the girl talk whenever." Joli smiled. Lindsey nodded and rubbed her hands together when their plates came.

"What made you become a vegetarian?" Lindsey asked as she bit in her sandwich. Joil wiped her mouth and swallowed her food.

"Well, when I was six my mom took me and my little sister on a trip around Seattle. We had just moved there and she thought it'd be nice to have a look around. Well, we go around and see the beaches, see the city and then we get to the country. We want to get a better look at the cows so she stops and I get out. I look out into the field and to my left is a barn. I hear the horrible noise and I look over to see the farmer holding a chicken down and well, killing it." Joli told her. Lindsey's face dropped and she looked down at her sandwich mournfully. She grew up in the country but she never actually saw someone kill a cow or chicken.

"It was quite traumatic for my six year old eyes. Celesti doesn't remember but I did." Joli finished and took a bit of her sandwich.

"That is horrible." Lindsey mumbled. "So do you just anything that was animal or do you not use some kind of shampoo's and stuff like that?"

"I don't put anything in my mouth that had a face." Joli laughed. "I try to avoid eating dairy products but I like cereal. But no I also stay away from products that were tested on animals."

"I stay away from them too. I know it must make me sound like a hypocrite, huh?" Lindsey asked. "I won't use shampoo that was tested on an animal but I'll eat one." Joli laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not a PETA activist. Again, I won't give you a speech. I understand that eating meat is a way of life, just like me not eating meat is a way of life. I'm not going to attack someone because of that. The world's got bigger problems that who eats what cow."

"I agree with that." Lindsey nodded.

"I'll be right back. The ladies room beckons." Joli laughed and walked inside. Lindsey sipped her water and nearly chocked when someone came up behind her and grabbed her.

"Montana!"

* * *

Lindsey's water spilled down her chin and she turned to see Danny and Don smirking at her.

"What do you two goons want?" she sighed and wiped her face off. Danny took Joli's seat and Don stood between them.

"So we're goons now? Man, Linds, I thought we were friends." Don smirked down at her. Lindsey rolled he eyes and looked around.

"I am tying to have a testosterone free day so please leave." she told them sweetly. Danny looked at the table, just noticing there was someone else with her.

"Who you lunching with?" he asked and looked at Joli's sandwich. "What the hell is this?" he asked. Don looked down at it and grimaced.

"Where's the meat?" he asked. "Wait, is that avocado? Why is their fruit on a sandwich?" he asked and stood back. Both men looked at Lindsey for answers and she laughed.

"I'm here with Joli." she told them.

"Sid's daughter?" Don asked. She nodded and pointed at the sandwich.

"Yeah and she's a vegetarian." she explained. Don pulled up a chair and sat down.

"I don't think I've ever met someone who doesn't eat meat." he stated, still looking at the sandwich.

"Well, now you have." a voice behind him said. All three people turned to look at the voice and Don's jaw fell when he saw her.

"You!" he said accusingly and stood up to face her.

* * *

Joli could not believe her eyes. Right in front of her with Danny and Lindsey sat the guy from last night. She didn't recognize him until he turned to look at her.

"You two know each other?" Lindsey asked, standing up with Danny. Both were looking between theirs friends confused.

"This is the girl from last night, Danny. The girl that was moving her shit around at midnight." Don accused and pointed at Joli. Danny eye's widened and suddenly laughed out loud. Lindsey caught on and covered her mouth.

"What's so funny?" Don asked.

"That's Sid's daughter." Lindsey told him. He turned back to her and shook his head. "Joli, this is Detective Don Flack. He works with us at the scenes and is a good friend of ours."

"Well, it's nice to put a name to the noise I heard last night." Joli smirked and tilted her head. Don crossed his arms and glared at her.

"You got one hell of a mouth on you, ya know that?" Don growled.

"Yeah, well so does your girlfriend." she retorted. Danny and Lindsey snapped their jaws shut and glanced at one another.

"What the hell is your problem? What did I ever do to you?" Don asked getting annoyed very fast.

"Me? What is your problem? You come banging on my door in the middle of the night." Joli said, trying not to raise her voice any louder.

"I was trying to sleep when you decided to start rearranging our damn apartment." Don yelled. Joli stood up straight and took a step forward.

"And I was trying to sleep when your Barbie decided she wanted a little satisfaction." she yelled back. Don stepped to her and got in her face. He was about to open his mouth when Danny and Lindsey both stepped up.

"Listen, how about we stop?" Lindsey suggested. Danny nodded in agreement and grabbed Flack's jacket. Don and Joli continued their glaring match until Lindsey's phone rang.

"I have to get back to work." she told everyone and looked over at Joli. "How about we meet tonight at my place to have dinner and watch a movie?" Joli removed her eyes from Don and smiled at her friend.

"Sure. Just call me when you get off." she smiled and hugged Lindsey. "Nice to see you again, Danny." she smiled.

"You too. Maybe next time we can actually have a few nice words to say." Danny nodded and looked wearily at Don. Don huffed and looked away.

"Got something to say?" Joli glared at him. He turned back to her about to yell but Danny pushed him back.

"If ya don't got nothing nice to say, don't say nothing at all." Danny declared and kept pushing Don away. "Have a nice day ladies." he yelled as they walked off.


	5. Better Get That Checked Out

Okay thanks a bunch for all the reviews! I'm super excited you all like this! If this one seems a tad short, it is. I had to leave off here or it would be really, really long. But I got the next chapter outlined and as long as we don't get hit by Hurrrican Hanna, it should be up soon! But for now enjoy this chapter!

**katydid13-** You'll just have to wait and see...lol. Thanks for the review.

**Soccer-Bitch- **Thanks! Glad you liked it. :)

**BEG75- **I do NOT blame you! I so would have done the same thing myself...lol. Yes, Joli has a smart mouth, huh? Again, I'm pleased with myself for coming up with thes remarks...lol. Yeah, Devon and Laura are equal to Renee in this story. But Devon won't be around too long, I can't say the same for Laura though. And who knew Danny was such a wise man? lol Thanks! :)

**rae3m2009- **Thanks! Yes, the actual meeting happened. I had that planned out before I wrote it...lol. I'm glad you liked it. Yes, Danny stole the show with that line, huh? :)

**iheartcsinewyork- **Thanks! I'm surprised I can get Joli's harsh mouth to work...lol. I'm not witty at all so i have no idea where all her lines come from. I just get in the mode when I write her and it all comes out.

**JaydenBell- **squeals Thanks! That made my day! Joli needed a friend and evne though here is an age difference there, I thought Jo and Linds would be good friends. I'm not a full fledhe vegetarian so some stuff I gotta look up but I thought it'd be a nice odd fact between Don and Joli. He's a manly man and like meat and she doesn't. Well, get to that later though...lol.

**WinchesterWench- **Thanks! Yes, everyone likes Joli's mouth and all that comes out of it...lol. She is gutsy sticking up to Don and his mouth. Glad you like it though!! :)

**hope4sall- **Thanks! Yes, they won't go easy on one another, huh? And yes, tension is everywhere and thick as it can get. Glad you like it! :)

* * *

He couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the whole situation. Don was the one standing up for Joli before he met her, then he meets her and can't stand her. Granted, Don didn't know she was Joli at first but still, Danny found this hilarious. And what added to it was the ranting and raving Don did as they ate lunch. At last count Don said the same things about four different time.

"Tell me you find this funny, because I find it freaking hilarious." he announced walking into the trace lab to see Lindsey. She looked up from the microscope and smiled.

"I take your talking about the scene that went down earlier?" she asked, looking back down. Danny pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

"You're a mind reader. But yes, that is exactly what I'm talking about. Did you see how angry they were at each other? I've never seen Don that aggravated with a woman." Danny smirked.

"Well, he did tell you about their first meeting, right?" she asked looking over at him. Danny nodded and she continued. "Well, it wasn't so pleasant. He comes to blamed her for making noise when he was the one that kept her up. It was kind of rude."

"That was not his doing." Danny defended. Lindsey took the slide off the microscope put it in the container. She put it in the fridge and sat back next to Danny.

"Explain." she asked and crossed her arms. Danny smirked and turned to face her completely.

"Did you forget whose apartment he was at that night?" Danny asked. Lindsey thought for a moment and rolled her eyes.

"Devon." she sighed.

"Bingo. She made him go over there and talk to her. He wasn't aggravated with Joli, he was aggravated at Devon. Then Joli just happened to have a bunch of smart ass remarks to challenge him and hence, the not so nice midnight meeting." he explained.

"Yeah, but he sure was quick to attack today." Lindsey stated.

"So was Joli." he defended. She nodded and sighed.

"She had a big fight with her mom this morning. She was already on edge. They both were and now they think the worst." she laughed lightly.

"Well, before the second horrible meeting gone wrong he wasn't talking bad about her." Danny mumbled, knowing that would get her attention. Lindsey's head tilted and she looked at him.

"I'll tell you, if you tell me." she offered, knowing he had some information from the man's point of view. Danny smirked and stuck out his hand. She shook it and got up to close the door.

"He was all worked up this morning. Couldn't stop thinking about her." Danny told her.

"Really?" Lindsey asked excitedly.

"No joke. He liked that she had the gut to talk back to him." he nodded. Lindsey smiled and leaned on the table.

"She didn't sleep at all that night. She just kept going on about him and she swore she saw him check her out." she smiled.

"Oh he did. That's what got him all hot and bothered." Danny smirked. Lindsey sighed and shook her head.

"And now they hate each other." she said and looked to the door when it opened. She smiled when she saw the curly haired detective breeze in.

"Oh you guys look deep in thought." Stella commented and stood next to Danny. "Don't hurt yourself." she teased. Danny glared at her and pointed to Lindsey.

"Fill her in on the latest gossip, Montana. I gotta go try and calm Flack down." he said standing up and walking to the door.

"What's wrong with, Don?" Stella asked, as Danny walked out. Lindsey laughed and pushed the seat to her. Stella sat down and smiled.

"Oh I always thought I was too old for gossip but this is too good to pass up." she laughed. Stella wasn't much to gossip but between the few close relationships at the lab, it wasn't really gossip. It was more filling in on what happened to a friend of there's. Now get Kendall going around and talking about Danny, Lindsey or Stella and that a totally different story.

"Well, Sid's daughter just moved here the other day." Lindsey started.

"I heard and I missed her arrival. Is she nice?" Stella asked.

"Very, we're having a get together to vent if you want to come." Lindsey offered. Stella smiled and nodded.

"I'd love to. Sid speaks so highly of her."

"He has every right." Lindsey told her. "Any who, on her first night she goes home and tries to sleep but the couple next door are having a little fun an keep her up. When they finished she decided to move some of her stuff around. Next thing she knows, the neighbor's are banging on her door, telling her to stop making noises." Lindsey explained.

"They started it." Stella added and started making a slide to look at under the microscope. Mac would kill them if they just sat and chatted all day.

"Yeah, well they just happened to be Don and Devon." Lindsey finished. Stella dropped the slide and stared at her.

"Really?" she asked. Lindsey shook her head and gave her a new slide. "Wow, I mean I heard he was good but never actually heard, heard him." she laughed lightly.

"Well, Joli said it was a ruckus." Lindsey laughed.

"As if dating Devon isn't enough black mail for the future, this adds to it." Stella smirked.

"I know, right." Lindsey smiled. "But they have a not so nice conversation, neither knowing who the other is until this morning. Danny and Flack show up while we were having lunch and they start yelling at each other. Me and Danny break the news about who they are and it's hilarious." Lindsey told her. Stella shook her head and looked at the slide.

"So instead of love at first sight, it's hate, huh?" Stella asked.

"Yeah. Funny thing is though," Lindsey started. "I think they like each other."

"You just said they hate each other." Stella said, looking back at her.

"You've never heard of a love, hate relationship?" Lindsey asked.

"I have but how do you know they like one another?" Stella asked.

"Danny talked to Flack and I talked to Joli before the horrid second meeting went down." Lindsey told her. Stella looked over at the young CSI and smirked.

"Are we going to pull a high school matchmaker here?" she asked. Lindsey laughed and shook her head.

"No, but I really like Joli. I want to show her around and make her feel welcome. And with me and Danny slowly on the mend, that means she might be hanging around Danny and of course, with Danny come Don." Lindsey explained.

"And you don't want there to be a rift." Stella finished.

"Exactly. Plus, Don's not a bad guy, neither is Joli. I just want them to see that." Lindsey sighed. Stella nodded and looked over at her.

"Speaking of you and Danny." Stella said slowly, trailing off. She was on the outs like everyone else on what was or wasn't happening between them. It wasn't because they were pushed away, they stayed away. Everyone knew that it was best for Danny and Lindsey to work this out without interference. But Stella was itching to find out what was going on between her two friends and co-workers.

"You're definitely gonna want to come over later." Lindsey laughed.

* * *

About two hours after leaving the lad Danny was back at his house waiting for Don to show up. It was Saturday and that meant it was time to get together and get drunk. It was a weekly thing they had been doing for a while. It was the time they got to sit around and talk about anything and everything over beer and pizza.

Tonight, though, he asked Don to come by a little earlier. They needed to chat. He didn't like the idea that him and Joli got the wrong impression of one another. Joli seemed like a sweet girl and Don wasn't the ass she thought he was. Danny knew problems would arise of Joli and Lindsey became good friends. He didn't want his best friend and Lindsey's best friend to cause friction between them. Honestly, they had enough of it and was trying to smooth it all out.

The knocking from his door snapped him from his thoughts. He walked over and opened the door to see Don here.

"Sorry I'm late." he groaned and walked inside.

"Let me guess!" Danny exclaimed, sarcastically. "Devon?" Don smirked and set the beer down on the counter.

"Why don't you ever hang out with the guys I introduced you to a while back? I bet they have way more to talk about than guns, drugs and dead people." Don said mimicking Devon's words from earlier. She had literally blocked him from leaving his own apartment when she realized he was going to Danny's.

"You should have told her because you don't care too much for hearing how they slept with her and what she was like." Danny smirked, grabbing a few beers and setting them in the freezer.

"Yeah, trust me, I don't need to be reminded that she's been around the block a few times." Don laughed. Danny shook his head and followed Don into the living room.

"So you and Joli don't seem too fond of one another." Danny stated sitting down on the sofa. Don huffed and sat down in the chair across from his friend.

"Please, don't get me started." he warned.

"I wasn't trying-" Danny started but was cut off.

"You know what?" Don asked, leaning forward on his elbows. "She's probably one of those smart girls that looks down on people with lesser education, like me for example. She's probably just like Devon but different. Devon has the condescending 'I'm richer than you.' attitude but this one, Joli, she's got that 'I'm smarter than you so go away.' attitude." Don ranted. Danny's eyes widened at first but relaxed by the end of his rant.

"I think she's nice." he told his friend. Don huffed again and leaned back into the chair.

"You'd say that. You got an education." Don pointed out.

"Oh don't make this about who has a higher grade level. You can't just pick a regular Joe off the street and put him in your shoes. You underestimate yourself, Flack." Danny told him. "And you don't even know her."

"Neither do you." Don shot back. Danny nodded his head and put his feet on the table.

"True." he agreed. "But why lower yourself to Devon's level and judge her before you know her." Don glared at his friend and sighed.

"She's complicated." Don stated.

"Who?" Danny asked.

"Joli." Don told him.

"You don't know her, how do you know she's complicated?" Danny asked.

"Because she wear these nerdy looking glasses on that pretty face. Who does that? And she seems all quite and conservative but she opens her mouth and you'd swear up and down she was born in the middle of New York with all the trash that escapes her lips." Don explained.

"So she's a lesson in contradiction." Danny shrugged. "I thought you liked a challenge?"

"Yeah, but not one that bites back." Don chuckled and rubbed his head. "Why won't she leave me alone? I don't know her. I've meet her twice but yet she's all I seem to talk about."

"You're interested. You like the fact that she hasn't thrown herself at you. You like the fact that she dresses and come off like a nerd, so to speak, but she has the looks that not most nerds have." Danny smirked.

"You got that last part right." Don mumbled.

"Hell, I'd be interested too. After Devon and all her glittery junk, it'd be nice to see a woman that doesn't have to dress up to go everywhere." Danny told him. "But I agree. She does have this kind of mystery around her. But that mystery won't go away if you don't get along."

"She hates me." Don declared and stood up. "Our last two meetings have bombed big time. I don't think it's nice for the public if we try it again." Danny laughed as Don grabbed two beers from the freezer and walked back.

"Hey, don't they say the third time is the charm?" Danny asked.

"It don't work for me." Don told him, confidently.

"Oh really now?" Danny asked.

"Yep." Don sighed and sipped his beer. "I tried getting rid of Devon about a billion times but she keeps coming back. She's the itch you can't scratch." Danny laughed and sipped his own beer.

"Yeah well, you better get that checked out." he told him.

* * *

It was about seven that night when Joli finally made it to Lindsey's house. She didn't have a hard time finding it but she ran into some unexpected traffic and say for an hour. She called Lindsey and she laughed when Joli told her she had sat in the same spot for half an hour. In New York that's a miracle. But Lindsey informed her that a friend from the lab would also be joining them tonight.

"I made it." Joli exclaimed when Lindsey opened the door. Lindsey smiled and waved her in.

"I see. Trust me, you got the good part of traffic. I've sat in the same spot for almost two hours one time. New York is a hell hole sometimes." she smiled. Joli followed her into the living room and smiled when she saw the other lady. She looked a tad bit older than Lindsey but was still gorgeous. She had a head full of dark curly hair and a tall, lean frame.

"Joli, this is Stella Bonasera. Stella, this is Joli Hammerback." Lindsey introduced. Stella stood up and shook Joli's hand.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. I've been waiting to meet you. Sid and Linds have talked so highly about you." Stella smiled. She almost couldn't believe this was Sid's daughter. She really looked nothing like him but from what she heard she got his brains.

"I'll be sure to tell them lying isn't nice." Joli laughed and took a seat on the sofa. Lindsey pointed to the kitchen and smiled.

"You two get comfy, I'm going to get the drinks and snacks." she told them and walked off. Stella looked over at Joli and smiled.

"So I hear you're going back to school?" she asked. Joli nodded and slid her shoes off.

"Yes, I decided to go back about a year after I graduated nursing school." Joli told her. "I start my classes at SUNY Downstate Medical Center on Monday actually and my rotations too."

"Really? So you'll be working ay Kings County, right?" Stella asked.

"Yes, I wanted to do my rotations in Emergency Medicine first." Joli smiled.

"That's good. Linds told me you were going to move soon, are you going to move to Brooklyn or what?" Stella asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm not too familiar with everything yet but I might try and stay closer to my dad and just deal with the drive." Joli told her.

"Well, a drive from New York or Manhattan to Brooklyn isn't that bad." Stella smiled. "But I'd be glad to help you look around when you get ready."

"Thanks, I'd like that." Joli smiled.

"Okay!" Lindsey exclaimed, walking in with a tray of snacks and a pitcher. "I got goodies for you ladies."

"You could have asked for help." Stella laughed, seeing her holding the tray with one hand and the pitcher in another.

"Oh no, I did this every night back him. Pitcher of beer in one hand and wings in another." Lindsey laughed and set everything down. She set a cups down in front of Stella and Joli before filling them. Joli sipped the drink and smiled.

"I haven't had a Pina Colada in years." she sighed. Stella sipped hers and sighed.

"Oh theses are good. Who needs to go to a dirty bar and get hit on when we can come get Lindsey to be our bartender?' Stella laughed. Lindsey sat down between them and relaxed.

"Yes, now let's get down to business." she smiled and looked over at Joli. "Your first days here haven't turned out so well, huh?"

"No, not at all." Joli sighed. "If that big buffoon you called Don earlier would go away, I'd be fine." Stella chuckled and looked over at her.

"Yeah, I heard you two haven't had the nicest of meetings."

"That's an understatement. Each time has exploded like no other. I don't even know him and we hate each other." Joli explained. "I don't mean to be rude but he just brings it out. He seems like one of those guys that knows he hot and thinks he can have any girl he wants. It's stupid."

"He's not." Lindsey told her. "He's a nice guy, he really is."

"I can vouch for him. He's a sweetheart. He's a great guy and great friend. He's helped me out plenty of times." Stella told her softly. It was true. Stella would still remember the times she went through with Frankie up to the night she killed him. Don had been nothing but a shoulder to cry on for her and she's been grateful to him since then.

"Maybe so but we are just combustible when we are near one another." Joli sighed then shook her head. "Okay, maybe we got of on the wrong foot. But I doubt he thinks any higher of me than I do him."

"Don's a good guy." Stella added again.

"With a bad girlfriend." Lindsey mumbled. "Hence, his attitude each time. His girlfriend, Devon, is a horrible woman."

"She brings out the worst in him." Stella nodded. "Meet him on a day that she hasn't bugged the hell outta him and you'll see." Joli nods and sips her drink.

"Ya know what? Enough about me." Joli smirked and looked over at Lindsey. "I wanna know the low down on you and Danny."

"Oh me too. I've fallen out of the loop." Stella smiled and turned to look at Lindsey. Lindsey sighed and took a big sip of her drink before talking.

"We're on the mend, taking it one day at a time." she started. "A while back a child from his complex was killed and he took it really bad. He started to withdraw from everyone, including Don and me. That's how me and Don became so close. We were the only ones who could get through to him but slowly he locked us out too. Anyways, he started an affair with the child's mother and things escalated. Next thing we know the mother is going to kill the guy that killed her son and Danny has to turn her in. Don gets to him and tries to talk to him."

"That's about where I stopped trying to get information at." Stella added when Lindsey took a breath.

"Well, since then we've gone out a few times. Tried to take time for just us and started back over." Lindsey smiled softly.

"So are you together or are you just seeing how it goes?" Joli asked.

"We're not seeing other people." Lindsey told them. "But we're seeing how things work. I'm still a little weary about jumping back into with him and so is he. I'm afraid he's do it again and he's trying to show me he won't."

"That makes sense." Stella nodded and finished her drink. "I think it will all work out. Danny did take it really hard and he lost himself for a moment. But he's back to being Danny again."

"Yeah, I hope so." Lindsey sighed. "Alright, me and Joli spilled. Stella it's your turn." Stella rolled her eyes and smiled.

"I have no boy problems." she announced.

"Okay, fair enough. How about man problems?" Joli asked. Stella laughed and took a deep breath.

"It's complicated." she told them. "I feel like he know that there is something there but at the same time, I'm not sure. There's moments I can feel it and sometimes I think that nothing is there. It's confusing and I'm worried that one day I might do something that will jeopardize things between us." she explained.

"Have you tried to bring it up?" Joli asked.

"He's not that type of guy. I can't just walk up to him and say 'Hey, I think I'm in love with you.' It would change things between us." she sighed. Lindsey rubbed her shoulder and Joli nodded.

"Well, you never know. Maybe he doesn't want to bring it up either." Joli told her. "Maybe all he really wants is for you to step up. Kiss him for no reason and show him how you feel."

"And if it backfires?" Stella asked.

"At least you got a kiss." Joli smirked. They all laughed and Joli spoke up again. "Then you can just plead temporary insanity."


	6. Stitches and Stones

**Okay here it is!! I stayed up until 1am finishing this...lol. I hope you all like it though. Thanks for all the great reviews too! :)**

**hope4sall- Thanks! I think that made sense...Linds and Danny wanting them to be at least civil wiht one another incase Linds and Joli are together or Danny and don are together and they all hang out. But I'm glad you liked it!! The girl talk and guy talk was a must...lol! :)**

**iheartcsinewyork- Thanks! Joli does have a smart mouth, huh? I like that too! We shall see how Stella is talking about.**

**BEG75- Tanks!! :) I liek Danny and Don, they are such good friends. Real men, they are. Manly men...lol. And yes, love/hate relationships are always interesting. And so far it's fun to write!! I'm glad you liked it. And do not worry Devon does that to me too. But I was so LMAO at the doorknob crack...lol! That so made my day!**

**JaydenBell- HaHa...I know what you were saying. And I'm glad you got that, I kinda of wanted it to seem that way...lol. Yes, my friends and stuff put them in teh freezer to get really cold. They say it's more crisp that way. Glad you like it though! Thanks!! :)**

**Soccer-Bitch- Thanks a bunch! :)**

**WinchesterWench- Thanks a lot! I liked the friendliness of this one. I'm glad you like it. :)**

* * *

Joli woke up and couldn't help but smile. Even though her first night had been a major disaster and her second day started off really bad, she was happy. So far she had a good time in New York. She didn't have her mother stopping by her place every day, twice a day to annoy her. She not only got to talk to her dad but see him almost everyday and she already had a few friends. The only thing missing was her sister. Part of Joli felt bad for being happy without her sister but she knew Celesti understood why she had to leave. Joli also knew that Celesti would gladly fly out to see her anytime.

"I still cannot believe you called me at 5am this morning." Celesti grumbled through the phone. Joli laughed and shook her head.

"I forgot about the time difference." she defended, still amused that her sister was still mad about something that happened early that morning.

"Well, how about use that brain of yours and think about it before calling me." Celesti told her. Joli rolled her eyes and walked out of her apartment. She looked down the hall both ways to make sure no one was there. She was a little weary about weary about running into Don and his girlfriend. She kind of felt bad about blowing up at him after all the praise Lindsey and Stella gave him last night.

"Yes, dear sister." she laughed and walked to the elevator. "So you miss me yet?" she teased but frowned when she was answered with silence. "CiCi." she whispered.

"Of course I miss you. It's only been like three days and I'm already going crazy." Celesti blurted out, making Joli move the phone away from her ear a little. "Ya know, I actually drove to you dorm the other day. I didn't realize that I was doing until I walked to your door."

"I'm sorry, Ci." Joli sighed and stepped into the elevator and pressed the down button.

"Don't apologize. I know you had to move. I would have made you if you said no. It's just weird." Celesti sighed. "But yes, I do miss you. A lot."

"Aww I miss you to, CiCi." Joli smiled and watched the numbers as she went down.

"So how has it been so far?" her little sister asked. Joli laughed and waited to step out of the elevator before answering.

"Interesting to say the least. I've managed to make two friends, one possible friend and two possible mortal enemies." she told her. Celesti laughed through the phone and Joli smirked.

"Explain more, please." Celesti begged. Joli stepped outside and started walking to her car as she answered.

"Okay so my friends are Stella and Lindsey. They work at the Crime Lab. The possible friend is the friend of one of the possible enemies and the maybe boyfriend of Lindsey. Did ya get that?" Joli asked, already imagining the dumbfounded look on her sister's face.

"Umm sure." Celesti mumbled. Joli hit the unlock button of her key chain as she approached her car.

"Okay. The two possible enemies are a couple I met my first night. She girl lives next to me and the guy works for the NYPD." she explained.

"I think I got it. But a tip for next time." Celesti told her. "Use names." Joli laughed as she climbed in her SUV and started the engine.

"Alright. Will do, sis." she promised.

"You start school and work tomorrow, right?" Celesti asked. Joli slowly pulled out of the parking space and nodded.

"Yeah. I have a two hour class in the morning and then I get to walk all the way across the street to start my first day of my first rotation." Joli laughed.

"Will you get special treatment being that you know more than them already from being a nurse?" Celesti asked.

"To an extent. They know I was an RN for a year and that I went through nursing school so they might let me have some sort of say over other med students that work with me. I'll also be working some actual shifts as a nurse and get paid a regular salary." Joli explained.

"That's cool. Are you excited?" she asked.

"Very. I know it's been three days but I'm antsy to get back in the swing of things." Joli smiled.

"Yeah, you're a workaholic." Celesti laughed. "So it's like 7pm there, right?" Joli looked over at the clock real quick and nodded.

"Sure is. I'm going to dad's now. Melinda just got back in town and she's cooking for me." she smiled.

"Oh man, I miss her cooking. You seriously have no idea on what your missing with her turkey at Thanksgiving." Celesti gushed. Joli laughed as she turned into her dad's neighborhood. "Speaking of Turkey Day..." she trailed off.

"You thinking about coming out?" Joli asked, hopefully.

"Yeah, I want to. I haven't seen dad in a while and by then I'd be crazy without you." Celesti sighed. "I know mom won't like it but I miss you guys."

"Screw mom. She'll deal with it." Joli huffed.

"Yeah, but I'm worried about her giving me hell when I get back." Celesti groaned.

"Well, threaten her." Joli chuckled. "Tell her if she doesn't stop you'll move here with me and become an ME." Celesti laughed out loud and Joli pulled up outside her dad's house.

"She would die."

"Yes, she would." Joli agreed and turned the car off. "Well, let me go. I'm at dad's."

"Alright, call me when you get off work tomorrow. I'll go ahead and put in I need a few days off for Thanksgiving." Celesti told her.

"Alright, I'll go ahead and let dad and Mel know." Joli smiled. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you, CiCi."

"Love you too, Jo." Joli pressed end on the phone and opened her car door to get out.

* * *

She looked around as she walked up the pathway and couldn't help but think if her dad would have stayed with her mom, he wouldn't have all this. Her mom would have taken all his money before he could buy them a new house or buy him a car. Laura was destined to be a gold digger, hence why she married Jeffery Cohan, a big wig out at Microsoft. Joli was happy her dad finally got the life he deserved, even if for the most part of her life it was all the way across the country.

"Knock, knock." Joli called as she opened the door and poked her head it.

"Oh, Joli! Yes, I'm in the kitchen." Came the excited reply from her step-mother. Joli laughed and set her purse down by the door and walked into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw Melinda. She had the whole counter covered in the ingredients to the dinner. There was a bowl of quinoa soaking in water, a chopped onion, minced garlic, a cinnamon stick, curry powder and coconut milk spread out in front of her.

"Hey Mel." Joli greeted, walking behind her. Melinda turned from chopping the coriander and smiled at her step-daughter.

"Hello, darling. I've missed you." she gushed and hugged her, trying not to put her hands on Joli. "You're father went to the store to get the lentils. He forgot the first two times I sent him to the store." she winked.

"That sounds about right." Joli laughed and pulled her her sleeves. "Want some help?" Melinda looked around and nodded to the bowl of quinoa.

"Sure. Go ahead and drain the quinoa." Melinda told her. Joli nodded and walked over to grab the strainer from the shelf. "So how has you move been so far?"

"Oh it's bee fine." Joli told her while pouring the leafy green qunioa into the strainer.

"How's your mother and sister taking it?" Melinda asked. Joli smirked at this. No matter how much her mom bad mouthed Melinda, she still asked about her. Melinda wasn't going to sink down to Laura's level and be rude. She respected the fact that Laura was Joli and Celesti's mother.

"Celesti is a little bummed but she's happy for me. Mom on the other hand," she sighed and set the drained quinoa next to Melinda. "Not so much. She's given me hell since I've been gone."

"Well, you're her daughter. She's worried that's all." Melinda told her softly. Joli smirked again and looked over at the door way when she heard the front door open.

"Honey, I'm home!" Sid yelled walking into the house and trekking to the kitchen. He walked in and smiled at Joli. "So is my child." Joli hugged her dad and kissed his cheek.

"Did you get it this time?" Melinda teased, looking back at him. He nodded and handed her the bag before kissing her cheek.

"Need any help?" he asked, laying a hand on her back. Joli smiled watching them. She was happy to finally see a couple that was happy and not blinded by money or shiny things.

"Nope." Melinda replied. "You two go for a walk or something. I'll finish here." she smiled. Joli nodded and walked out with her dad. He opened the door for her and she smiled.

"Glad to she chivalry isn't dead." she joked as they walked out.

"Oh no my dear. Chivalry was my prime." Sid laughed. "So are you excited about tomorrow?" he asked. She nodded her head as they walked down the sidewalk of his neighborhood.

"Yes, very much so." she smiled. "I was telling CiCi earlier I was missing work and actually having something to do."

"That's good. You're a worker." he nodded. "How is she by the way?"

"She's fine. A little lonely now that I'm gone but she's managing fine." she told him. "Oh, and she's coming for Thanksgiving." Sid's heart jumped and he smiled widely.

"Wow, it's been a while since I've had both of you here with me."

"Well, you'll get it in a couple months." Joli smiled.

"So I must tell you, you are the talk of the lab." he smirked and looked over at her. She raised her brow and looked forward, smiling when she passed a fee kids playing.

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, Lindsey and Stella are singing your praises to anyone who hasn't met you." he smiled. "Danny is too. But for other reasons." Joli looked over at her father oddly, wondering what Danny had to say about her.

"What's he saying?" she asked slowly.

"Oh just that you're a, oh how id he put it?" Sid thought back. "A firecracker, there we go. Says you and a certain blue eyed detective have stood nose to nose a couple times?" Joli bit her lip and looked forward.

"Yes, a couple times." she admitted.

"Why is that?" he asked. She looked over and smirked at him.

"Even though we stand nose to nose," she smiled. "We don't see eye to eye." she told him and turned around. "Now we better get back home before Me kills us for being late." she said, changing the subject and started to walk off. Sid watched his daughter walk off, smirking.

_'She hasn't even been here for a week and she's already gotten hooked on those eyes.'_ he thought to himself. _'It's always the eyes.'_

* * *

He hated the holidays and he hated Mondays. Why? Because the holidays brought out all the crazies in the city and well, Monday's were just Monday's. Holidays are supposed to be fun and relaxing but not here. For some reason people got bored with an extra long weekend and decide to go off people. But today was special. Today was not only the day after labor day but it was also the hottest days of the summer. Yes, today Don Flack was a very happy man.

"98 degrees." he whined. "Can you believe it? Yesterday it was only 80 and now today it rises 18 degrees."

"It's called summer, Flack." Mac smirked, walking under the yellow tape with the detective.

"Yeah, well it's closer to fall now. It needs to cool off." Don told him.

"And then when it's freezing you'll complain then, right?" Stella asked from behind them. Don glared at her and stopped when they reached the body.

"What do we have, Flack?" Mas asked as he looked over the body.

"Oh male victim, single gun shot wound to the chest. Looks pretty beat up too." he told him. "A passerby found him about an hour ago. Thought he was sleeping until he pulled the jacket off of him." Mac nodded and looked up and down the tiny alley. He noticed all the make shift tents and houses for the homeless and sighed.

"He doesn't look homeless." Stella noted as she started taking pictures of the man. "Looks pretty clean to me." Mac nodded and kneeled down to look in his pockets.

"You find a wallet yet?" Mac asked. Don shook his head and waved his hand around.

"No, I was too busy trying to convince the residents of this fine alley that they couldn't come in yet." Don explained. "I talked to a few but most were gone last night and this morning."

"Why?" Stella asked.

"Every week the church down the street gives out dinner and breakfast. They all flocked there for the night." Don told them.

"Well, go ahead and look around. I'll mark the area around the body then follow you." Mac told him. Don nodded and walked off down the alley. Mac looked around the body as Stella continued to snap pictures.

"Hey, Mac." Stella called. "I got something." Mac walked over to her and kneeled next to her as she pointed to the hem of his shirt, near his neck. He grabbed his tweezers and picked up the tiny blue fiber.

"It doesn't look like it's from him." he mumbled and placed it in a bag. "I heard you had a girl's night last night?" Stella looked over the top of her camera and smiled.

"Yes, I did actually. It was nice to get out and be human." she told him. "You should try it sometime."

"What a girl's night out?" he joked, looking over at his long time friend. She looked over at him again and smirked. "I heard Sid's daughter has made quite an impression on everyone."

"That she has." Stella nodded. "Lindsey is head over heels for her." she laughed. "Everyone seems to like her. Well, except for Don." Mac popped his head up and looked at her.

"Why's that?" he asked. Stella let her camera fall to her chest and she smiled over at Mac.

"Seems like the golden boy has finally met his match." she told him.

"I don't even wanna know." he chuckled and stood up.

"Good, don't get her started. I'm tired of hearing her name." don grumbled walking up behind them. Stella smiled sweetly and winked at him.

"Who? Joli?" she asked.

"Shush." Don glared at her and help up a wallet. "Looky what I found." Mac smirked and grabbed the wallet from him. He looked at the ID and then down at the victim.

"Well, looks like we got Charles David, 23 years old." Mac read out loud. "Lived in Long Island."

"What the hell is he doing in Brooklyn then?" Don asked, looking down at the man.

"Maybe he was a volunteer at the dinner and breakfast at the church?" Stella offered. Mac nodded and bagged the wallet.

"We'll check that later." he told them. Don looked out the corner of his eye and saw a kid approaching the scene, oblivious to the tape and everything else.

"Hey, kid!" Don yelled. "You can't come down here." The kid looked up from his CD player and dropped it when he saw Don and the body.

"Oh shit!" he yelled and took of down the alley. Don and Mac exchanged glances before taking off after the boy. Don gets ahead of Mac and starts to gain on the kid as they turned a corner.

"NYPD! Stop!" Mac yelled from behind. Don shook his head knowing this kid wasn't going to stop. They ran down another alley and suddenly the kid reached down and grabbed a rock. Before Don could duck the kid threw the rock and hit Don in the head. He stopped chasing the kid and Mac stopped with him.

"Go get him!" Don yelled, holding his head, blood already blinding vision in his right eye.

"We'll find him. He looked like he was going home." Mac said, out of breath. He looked at Don and pulled his hand off of his head. He sighed seeing the deep gash over the detective's eye and blood pouring down his face. "You're going to need stitches."

"I'm fine." Don grumbled as the walked back to the scene. Stella ran over when she saw the blood through Don's fingers.

"Oh god, what happened?" she asked and moved Don's hand.

"That damn kid threw a rock at me."

"Flack, you need stitches." she told him. "I'll drop you off at King's County then I'll go to the church on my own." Don sighed and looked over at Mac who gave him a hard stare.

"Alright, but I can drive myself." he groaned. "I'll call when I'm done to see where you are."

"Take your time." Stella said with a smile. Don nodded and walked off to his car.

* * *

Joli was hoping for a busy first day at the hospital but there was no such luck. She had been there a whole three hours and the only people that came in had a sick child or a case of alcohol poisoning. The two other med students were off working with patients and Joli was quietly waiting her turn. She had a little bit of paper work to do from her short class this morning and decided to do that.

"I want to know why they ask you your name three different times on the same sheet of paper." Joli sighed and looked over at the receptionist, Karen.

"They want to drive you crazy, that's why." she smiled and kept filing her nails. Joli smirked and closed her file and stick it under the counter with her purse.

"Tell me it's usually busier than this." she begged. Karen laughed and nodded.

"Are you one of those people who live for the rush?" she asked.

"Oh yeah." Joli nodded.

"I like having those kind of people around. They actually work and get it done when times get rough." Karen smiled. "But yeah, we have our slow days and our packed days. I'm making a bet that other female student won't last ten seconds when we get slammed."

"She does seem easily intimidating, huh?" Joli smirked. Karen nodded and smiled at the other receptionist as she walked up.

"There's man needed stitches in the suture room. You wanna take it or do you want me to get someone else?" she asked Joli. Joli leaned over the counter and grabbed the file, smiling.

"Why not? I need some kind of action." she smiled and walked off down the hall.

"It's room 2." she lady called and Joli held up her hand and waved. She walked down the hall and pushed the door open to the suture room. She was looking at the file as she pulled the curtain back.

"Oh god." the patient groaned. Joli looked up and sighed when she saw him.

"Hello, again." she greeted as nicely as she could. Don looked up at her and shook his head.

_'Of all days. Of all hospitals. I come to hers.'_ he thought.

"I'll be doing your stitches." she told him. He looked at her and nodded.

"You're not going to poke my eye out, right?" he asked, watching her walk across the room to grab a tray. She smiled at him as she walked back.

"No." she told him and sat down. "I'd get fired."

"So you'd do it off the clock?" Don asked, amused. She laughed a little and opened a packet of alcohol swabs. She moved closer to him and brought her hand up to his head.

"It depends on how big of an ass you are." she told him softly as she cleaned the wound above his eye. He flinched a little and bit his lip. They were silent as she cleaned off all the blood and cleaned the wound. She threw the swabs down and grabbed the needle and stitches.

"So I think we-" they both spoke. They laughed and Joli nods.

"Go ahead." she tells him. Don sighs and looks around.

"I think we might have gotten off to a bad start."

"Well, I think we actually agree on something." she smiled and slowly started sewing up the wound. "What happened?"

"I was at a scene earlier and this kid came walking up. Didn't see the tape and I yelled at him to stop. He saw us and the body and took of running." Don told her, wincing a little as she worked on him. "We chase after him and the kid picks up a rock and throws it at my head."

"Do you get hurt a lot?" she asked, softly. Don's body tensed a little and he nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Some days worse than other." he replied softly. Joli noticed the strained look on his face and kept quiet. "So I thought you were a med student?"

"I am."

"Well, aren't you supposed to have some schmuck following you around?" he asked. Joli laid the needle down and grabbed a tiny patch and some tape.

"Yes, but I was also a nurse." she told him and covered his stitches. "I know more than they do. So I get to ditch that schmuck every once in a while." she smiled down at him. Don couldn't help but smile back. Joli couldn't take his intense stare and moved away from him. "Well, all done."

"Thanks, doc." he nodded and stood up. Joli laughed and got rid of the tray's contents.

"I'm not a doctor yet." she told him. "I still have two more years to go in school then an internship."

"Well, your doc to me." he said and flashed her a dimpled smile. Joli blushed a little and nodded. "Thanks though."

"It's my job." she smiled. He laughed and pulled his jacket on. He walked to the door to open it but turned to her at the last minute.

"Maybe we should do this the right way." he told her. She stared at him confused as he held his hand out. "I'm uh, Don Flack."

"Joli Hammerback." she smiled and shook his hand slowly. They held each others gaze for a little longer this time and Don was the one to turn away first.

"Well, I better get back to work." he sighed ad pointed to his head. "Again, thanks." Joli followed him out the room and smiled.

"Anytime." she told him.

"Later, doc." he winked and walked off. She watched him go and smiled to herself.

"Later." she whispered and threw her gloves away.


	7. Coffee and Fights

**Sooo sorry it took so long! I had a busy week and another story kidnapped me! But I'm back now...:) It's more of a filler but trust me it gets better! :)**

**BEG75- Yes, those dimples are the last string for me! I'd be puddle in a flash! Glad you liked it. I love the Sid and Joli moments. He is cool, odd sometimes, but cool...lol. :) **

**hope4sall- Thanks!! I don't want to make it all about family or all about work or all about Don and Joli. I want to have my family chapters, then my case chapters. I think it makes a good balance. :)**

**WinchesterWench- I'm not sure if you're back yet but if not be safe! If so, hope you had fun! Glad you like this so. There's more dimple flashing flirting Don to come, trust me...lol.**

**JaydenBell- We'll see more of why Sid is so nonchalant later on. He's still a protective daddy but he trusts Joli and Don. :) And yes, they are screwed! Yes, i had that meeting planned out. I wanted it that way. THey both sorta knew they had to behave and they did and they made nice. and hey, everyone needs a pet name...lol.**

**katydid13- Thanks!! :)**

**Soccer-Bitch- Thanks a bunch!! :)**

**nylondon- Thank you for reviewing. Hope to hear from you again!**

**shariena- Shocker, right? lol But it seems as if they are getting along! Thanks for reviewing. :)**

* * *

Stella was expecting a very mad and agitated Don Flack when she arrived at Kings County Hospital but instead she was greeted to a smiling Don. He casually hopped into the SUV and buckled up. She stared at him as he tried to force the smile off his face.

"Something you wanna share, Don?" she asked, as she rolled out of the front of the hospital. Don smirked out the window and shook his head.

"Where we headed?" he asked, avoiding her question. Stella narrowed her eyes and quickly look down at her note pad.

"Field trip to Long Island." she told him. "Now you gotta spill or I won't stop driving 'till we get there." she threatened. Don glared at her and gave in.

"I saw Joli again." he told her. She stared at him then shook her head.

"You two didn't draw blood, right?" she asked. Don chuckled and shook his head.

"No, we just talked." he told her. She looked over at him incredulously.

"Talked?" she repeated.

"Yes, talked. Talked like normal civilized people do. We came to an agreement."

"What that you won't blow up at each other every time you come within 50 feet of one another?" she teased. Don smirked over at her and nodded.

"Yeah, basically." he nodded. Stella smiled to herself and kept on driving.

"Why would he be in Brooklyn if he lived all the way out here? Even if he was volunteering, why go to Brooklyn?" Don asked as they pulled into the victim's neighborhood.

"That's what we're about to find out." she said and pulled into the driveway. The pair stepped out of the truck and walked up the front walkway to the door. Don knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. Stella looked up as a young man opened the door and stepped outside.

"Can I help you?" he asked nicely. Don held his badge up and nodded.

"I'm Detective Don Flack and this is CSI Detective Stella Bonasera with the NYPD. We're here about Charles David. Did you know him?" Don asked. The man frowned and nodded.

"Yes, he's my roommate. Why? Is something wrong?" the man asked.

"Mr.," Stella trailed off.

"Brian Browning." the man whispered.

"Mr. Browning, your roommate was found earlier this morning in Brooklyn." Stella told him slowly. Don watched color drain from the man's face and held out a hand when the man started to weave. Don pulled him from the doorway and helped him sit down on the chair outside.

"He's dead?" Brain whispered. Stella and Don sat on either side of him and nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry to throw this at you all at once but we're going to need some information." Stella continued. Brian nodded and held his face in his hands.

"Alright." he mumbled.

"Mr. Browning, when was the last time you saw Mr. David?" Don asked. Brian sighed and sat up in the chair.

"Umm Saturday afternoon." he told them.

"Where did he go?" Stella asked.

"Some church in Brooklyn. I forgot the name but his mother used to go there before she passed. He helps out every other weekend with feeding the homeless." Don and Stella exchanged a look and Don leaned forward.

"Was Mr. David into any kind of illegal actions? Drugs?" Don asked. Brian shook his head feverishly.

"No, not at all. He went through hell when he was a child because of his mother. She was a drug addict and when she found out she had AIDS, she started going to the church. He knew what drugs did to a person." the man said, tears coming to his eyes. "He was a good man."

"We're very sorry for your loss." Stella told him softly. "Would it be okay if we looked around like in his room?" she asked. Brian stood up and nodded.

* * *

"Yes, please. Look where ever you want." he told them.

They didn't expect to find anything at the house and they didn't. Stella and Don looked through the victim's room and bathroom, nothing. There was nothing unusual about this man and nothing out of the ordinary. They only stayed at the house for half an hour before they decided to head back to Brooklyn and check out the church.

"Hello, welcome to Zion Lutheran Church, may I help you?" an elderly lady asked. Stella smiled and held up Charles David's picture.

"Yes, ma'am. Do you know this man?" Stella asked. The lady gasped when she looked at the picture and nodded.

"That's Mr. David. He was here helping us last night. What in the world happened?" she asked.

"He was found murdered a few blocks down in an alley." Don explained. "Could you tell us about last night?"

"Well, he arrived the day before to help set up. We have a few buffets and some tables that we set up for Sunday. He was here all day Sunday until he went to leave to go to his hotel." she told them.

"What time was that?" Stella asked.

"Almost 1am. We had a busy night." she told them.

"Do you know how he was getting home? Car, bus, train?" Don asked.

"He drove. He has a blue Honda, I think. Mother gave it to him before she passed. He usually parks two block down outside of the old parking garage." she told them.

"He was found in an alley that's heavy with the homeless. Was there any trouble last night between him and anyone?" Don asked her.

"No, everything went fine." she told them. She turned when a voice called out for her and she smiled at Stella and Don. "I'm sorry. I have to go. If you need anything else, just ask or call." she told them and walked off. Don sighed and walked out with Stella.

"Want to see if his car's there?" he asked. She nodded and they walked down the street. They looked for the car as they walked and don pointed to one. "Zion Lutheran." he said tapping the sticker on the back of the car. Stella looked inside the car and Don looked around on the ground.

"The alley is not even a block away." she stated and looked over at Don. "Why would he pass his car? There's no sign of any struggle here or anything." Don squatted to look under the car and yelled for Stella.

"What did you find?" she asked and leaned down to look under the car. She smiled when she saw a set of car keys under the car and she used a pen to drag them out. Don walked over to grab a bag from her kit and opened it as she picked the keys up with the pen and dropped it into the bag.

"Maybe he didn't purposely pass his car." she suggested as they stood up.

"Think he was attacked while getting to his car? Fought with them and took off down the alley?" Don offered. Stella shrugged and reached into her pocket when it started to ring.

"Not sure." she mumbled and flipped her phone open. "Yeah?" Don looked at her and nodded when she mouthed that is was Mac. He nodded and leaned back on the car as she talked to him and told him what they had found and what they didn't. "Alright, we're on our way." she hung up and smirked over at Don.

"What?" he asked and followed her as they walked back to the truck.

"Mac wants us back at the lab." she told him. "TOD was about 2am but Sid said he bled to death."

"I could tell with all the blood." Don sighed and stepped into the truck. "So what's the smirk for?" She smiled and started the truck.

"Oh just that Mac wants you and him to go after that boy." she told him and laughed when he groaned. "He thinks the kid might know something, thought maybe he was I trouble and ran."

"Well, I hope he was scared and just doesn't go around throwing rocks at cops." Don grumbled. Stella patted his hand and pulled onto the street.

"Aw it's okay. Want me to stop and get a sandwich or something?" she asked. Don looked over at her and nodded happily. She smiled sweetly at him and turned back tot he road.

"Too bad." she told him. Don glared at her and shook his head.

"Are all the women in New York PMS'ing right now or is it just me? Because I've gotten nothing but hell from every woman I've come into contact with this past week." he asked. Stella laughed and shook her head.

"It's not us, Flack. It's you."

* * *

The first day wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. At first it was really slow but after her third and charming encounter with Don, things picked up pace. She saw about 20 patients that day. A couple other med students didn't like that she got to see some patients without supervision but they shut up real quick when Dr. Tony Romano told them if they had a problem they could leave. He made sure they knew that she would get the first hand pick because Joli simply had more experience than they did. She also agreed to do a few short nursing shifts until they were able to hire two more nurses. She didn't mind. It would give her more money and that mean she'd be able to get her own place sooner.

She sighed as she stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall to her apartment. It might have been slow but her feet were killing her. As a nurse you could wear tennis shoes but as a med student you were able to wear more than scrubs so you also got to wear different shoes. You were leaning to be a doctor so why not look presentable. Today she chose the more sophisticated look by wearing a pair of gray pin stripped pants, a white button up blouse and, her biggest mistake, a pair of heels. She vowed to wear a pair of flats tomorrow or at least get more comfortable shoes.

She set her bag down next to her as she fished for her keys in her pocket. She pulled them out and only got the key in when someone scoffed behind her. She let the key go and turned to see Devon standing there. She was wearing a pale pink strapless dress that came down to her knees and a pair of pasty white heels. Joli sighed and went to turn around to open the door when Devon spoke.

"So I heard you were the weird guys daughter?" she asked snottily. Joli bit her lip and turned around.

"No, you've gotten me mistaken for someone else." she told her calmly.

"So your dad's not that morgue guy?" Devon asked. Joli smiled and nodded.

"Yes, he is." she told her. A confused expression passed across Devon's face and Joli almost laughed.

"You just said-"

"No, you asked me if my dad was that weird guy. He's not. But he is the ME for the crime lab." Joli snipped. Devon smirked and crossed her arms.

"Isn't is the same thing?" she asked.

"No, it's not." Joli growled. She was getting aggravated more and more. "So if we're done here I'm going to go inside. I have a job and I've worked all day." she smiled and turned back to her door.

"That's pathetic." Devon snorted. Joli's jaw dropped and she turned back to Devon.

"What? Having a job?" Joli asked, needing clarification. Devon nodded. "No, what's pathetic is bumming money off of your father or mother when you're in you mid twenties. Come on, grow up." Joli scoffed at her.

"I knew I didn't like you. The moment I saw you, I knew you were a bitch." Devon practically yelled.

"And I knew from the moment I saw you that you were a money hungry, greedy bitch with a bad boob job." Joli smirked and pointed to her chest. "I mean, come on. The left one is a lot higher than the other. You might wanna talk to a lawyer about a case against the butcher you saw." Devon's face grew a dark shade of red and she pulled her jacket around her tighter.

"Well, at least me and my dad aren't the freaks of the neighborhood." Devon spat and stormed off down the hall. Joli's fists clenched by her side's as she watched the red head disappear into the elevator. She finally turned back to her door and walked in, slamming it behind her.

She threw her bag down on the coffee table and stomped into the kitchen. She snatched her laptop off the kitchen counter and sat down at the table. While she waited for it to start up she walked into her room to change.

"That bitch." she grumbled as she peeled her pants off her legs and unbuttoned her shirt. She stepped into a pair of pink and gray shorts and a white tank top. "The nerve of her. My dad's not weird. He has a good job. He has a job and earns his money. I bet her dad doesn't know what work is." She went back into the kitchen and sat in front of her laptop. She brought up her e-mail and cringed when she saw that she had six e-mails from her mother, all in capital letters. She decided to skip over those and she opened one from her sister.

_Hey, Jo_

_Just wanted to say hello and I hope you had a good day at work. I sorta lost my phone so for now just e-mail me about your dad. I'll go tomorrow and get a new one though. I'm pretty sure you have about half a dozen messages from mom by now. She's gone off the deep end now. She's all flipped out because you keep ignoring her calls. Talk to her soon, please. If not she's going to keep bugging me. Please, save me Joli! I hope all is well. Give dad a big hug from me next time you see him. Love you sis!_

_CiCi._

Joli chuckled and typed up a quick message to her sister and sent it. She was tempted to go ahead and send one to her mom but she didn't. Just as she closed her lap top a soft knock came at the door. She looked over at the clock and frowned.

"Who's here at midnight?" she mumbled to herself as she walked over to the door.

* * *

Don and Mac searched around the alley where the victim was found and all around the surrounding alley's but the kid was a no show as of yet. Mac said he was probably laying low for a few days in case we were looking for him. After about three hours of useless searching they called it a night and took off. He was tired, had a major headache and just wanted to go home. But instead of home he found himself standing outside of Devon and Joli's apartment building. He knew Devon wasn't home. He got a text about an hour ago saying she was going to some party and that she would call him tomorrow. But it wasn't Devon that he wanted to see.

He stood in front of her door and sighed.

"What the hell am I doing here?" he thought out loud as he raised his hand and knocked on Joli's door. He waited a few seconds and the door swung open. He went to smile but the glare Joli was wearing stopped him.

"What?" he asked. Joli glared at him and crossed her arms.

"Came to finish off her job?" Joli snapped. "Came to add you're own words of idiocy?" Don could not believe his ears. What did he do?

"What the fuck crawled up your ass and died?" he spat back. Joli glared again and started to shut the door. Don held his hand up and Joli stumbled back from the force. "I come here to fucking thank you again for what you did earlier and you start yelling at me? I thought we agreed to be nice, to be civil?" he yelled. Joli stared at him in shock as he stormed out of her doorway and down the hall.

Her hand slapped her forehead and she silently cursed herself. She grabbed a robe and threw it over her shoulders and took off down the stairway to try and catch him. She burst through the doors and saw the elevator was already down. She ran outside and looked down the street. When she saw him walking to his car she ran down the steps and yelled for him.

"Don! Wait!" she yelled. Don sighed and turned to see her running to him. He crossed his arms as she approached him. She gave him a small smile and sighed.

"I'm sorry." she apologized. He stared at her and looked around. "Why don't you come back up to my place? I'll make some coffee." Don looked down at her and smiled. He followed up back up to her place and she took his coat from him. He sat in the kitchen and watched her set the coffee maker.

"You wanna tell me what set off?" he asked when she sat down next to him. She chuckled a little and brushed a strand off hair off her face.

"You're lovely girlfriend bombarded me in the hallway earlier." she told him and laughed when he rolled his eyes. "We had some words and I was just pissed. I would have yelled at anyone that knocked on the door."

"She has the effect on people." Don chuckled. "Don't listen to her though. She's not worth anything, at all." Joli smiled and looked over at the pot.

"Then why are you with her?" she asked and went to grab two mugs. Don mentally slapped himself when her shirt rose up on her stomach when she reached into the cabinet.

"I like to plead temporary insanity." he told her. She smiled at him over her shoulder and he couldn't help but smile back. They held each other's gaze for a moment and she blushed a little.

"That's bad." she laughed. "Your friends don't seem to fond of her, either."

"Oh no. But the feeling is mutual." he explained. She nodded and slowly poured the two cups. She set one on front of Don and he smiled a thank you.

"So what are you doing over here? I know Miss. Priss left already." Joli asked, sipping her coffee. Don took a deep breath and looked over at her. He didn't really have a reason. He just wanted to see her but that might sound a little odd.

"I wanted to stop by and say thanks." he told her and pointed to his head. Joli's heart flipped a little but tried not to think too much of it. She kept telling herself thats the only reason he came by.

"You're welcome. How is it?" she asked.

"I have one hell of a headache but the throbbing has gone away now." he told her.

"Did you ever catch the guy that did it?" she asked. Don shook his head as he sipped his coffee.

"Not yet. I was out looking for him but he's a ghost as of now. We'll find him eventually though." he smirked.

"Yeah, you gonna tear him a new one for knocking ya like that?" she laughed.

"Oh yeah. Expect me to be dragging in a kid with a black eye soon." he joked. Joli laughed and nodded.

"I''ll be sure to mark that as police brutality." she teased. Don held a hand over his heart and shook his head.

"Now I thought we were friends." he teased. His phone went off and he sighed. Joli was quiet as he flipped his phone open. She was hoping it wasn't Devon that would ruin their conversation. He looked over at her sheepishly and she smiled.

"Duty calls?" she asked, hopefully. He nodded and stood up taking his cup over to the sink. "I'll get it." she told him when he reached for the water. He set it down and turned to her, not really wanting to leave when they were just getting comfortable talking to one another.

"Well, thanks for the coffee and again, for fixing my up and not stabbing me." he smirked. She nodded and set her cup next to his in the sink.

"Well, thanks for letting me yell at you and accepting my apology." she smiled. "And for stopping by." He smiled and pointed to the door.

"Well, I better be going. I'll see you later." he smiled. She nodded and waved.

"Be careful. I'm not on until tomorrow night." she winked. He laughed and opened the door.

"Good night, Doc." he yelled as he left. She bit her lip and smiled to herself as she watched the door. Maybe Don wasn't as bad as she thought. She walked over to the door and her jaw dropped realizing that he left his jacket. She snatched it off the rack and pulled the door open. She saw him walk into the elevator and yelled.

"Don!" Don reached his hand out before the doors closed and looked down the hall. He laughed when she ran down the hall holding his jacket. "Forgot something." she smiled and passed the jacket to him.

"Thanks." he smiled. They stood there for a moment before Don opened his mouth. "Can I have your number?" he blurted out. Joli blushed a little and smiled at him. "Ya know, in case a rock comes flying at my head and I don't feel like driving to Brooklyn"

'They don't have nurses in the city?" she teased.

"None as pretty as you." he smirked. Joli blushed again and reached out to grab his phone. She put her number in there and handed it back to him.

"Better not let Devon see that. She might not like you slumming it with the ugly next door neighbor." she smirked. Don shook his head and stepped back into the elevator.

"Sometimes I think she's blind." he winked as the doors closed. He wasn't sure why he was laying the flirting on, but it was coming almost too easily. He had a girl already but for some reason that didn't matter to him.

"Now I seem like prick." he mumbled as he stepped out of the elevator. He walked to his car and didn't fight the urge to look up at Joli's window. He smirked when he saw her tiny figure looking down at him. He held his hand up and she smiled before closing the curtains.

She walked over to her couch and sat down, a huge grin plastered on her face. She smirked when her phone started vibrating. She flipped it open and she had a new text. She opened the message and but her lip.

_Tomorrow night. My place. Beer and football. 7pm. I have lettuce._

_-Don_

Joli laughed out loud and hit reply.

_I'm not a rabbit. But I'll be there._

_-Jo_

She set her phone down and smiled at it for a moment. She briefly remembered that he had a girlfriend but she shook that away. She was sure all he wanted was a friendship. Why would he want someone like her when he had someone like Devon?


	8. Gangs and Take Out

**Sorry for the longer update time but I will say that I am on a roll and am currently writing the next chapter...lol. I have up to chapter 12 or so planned out and am working on that like mad. But as for reviews...**

**hope4sall- Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. I'm slowly adding in more about the other teams members but I don't want to clutter the story...lol. And yes, Devon's days are numbered. ;)**

**BEG75- Thanks!! :) There will be more hissing and fighting, maybe even some hair pulling later to come. Some sooner and some later...lol. I also love Don and Stella working together, they are sweet. And the case will have after effects, you will get a hint of that in this chapter. But thanks so much! I'm trilled I got you laughing that hard...lol.**

**JaydenBell- Do NOT fret, Devon's days are very numbered. I got it all planned out and...well, just don't worry...lol. I have a feeling you'll like it and then you can get really excited about the next part of Don and Joli. ;) But thanks so much for the great review! :)**

**Soccer-Bitch- Thanks for the awesome review! I'm thrilled that you like it. :)**

**iheartcsinewyork- Like I said to one of the fine ladies above...there will be more cat fighting to come...lol! Thanks for the review!!**

* * *

Don arrived at the station not too long after Mac had called him. It being so late, well early on a Tuesday morning, there wasn't a lot of traffic. He didn't even get to walk inside before Mac met him at the front doors. Mac smirked and held the door open for him.

"What's the occasion, Mac?" Don asked. Mac didn't say anything as he walked down the hall. Don followed him and was confused when Mac stepped into the viewing room to the interrogation room. Don stepped in after him and Mac pointed to the room. Don stepped forward and smirked when he saw the kid.

"Robby Brickner. Uniform picked him up about half an hour ago when he was loitering outside a store. Kid took of yelling about how he didn't mean to throw that rock at the cop. Fortunately, the officer heard about what happened and brought him here." Mac explained. Don nodded and looked back at him.

"You been in there yet?" he asked and Mac shook his head. "Well let's go." Don said and walked to the door.

The kid's face paled when he saw Don and Mac walk through the door. Don smirked and stood in front of the kid while Mac sat down. The kid lowered his head to look away from Don's stare and Mac chuckled.

"What disappointed in your handy work?" he asked. The kid's head shot up and looked at Don.

"I didn't mean to throw that rock!" he exclaimed. Don laughed and looked down at Mac.

"Ya hear that, Mac? He didn't mean to throw it at me." Don smirked and then looked back at the kid. "So it just happened to jump into your hand and come flying at my face while you were running from us?" Don asked. Mac decided to speak up now.

"Why was that, huh?" he asked. The kid sighed and leaned back into his chair. Don glared at him and slammed his hand on the table.

"Sit up!" he yelled and the kid jumped back into the upright position. "This ain't no living room and that ain't a recliner." Mac hid his smirk and looked at the terrified kid.

"Why did you run?" he asked again. The kid looked from Don to Mac and finally spoke.

"You're cops standing over some dead body and I'm a homeless kid, I thought you thought I did that or something. I freaked and took off." the kid told them. Don rolled his eyes and placed his hands, palms first, on the table.

"You underestimate us." he told the kid. "Ya see, we're smarter than you think. We don't have to think you did it, we prove it."

"We only wanted to talk to you. See if you knew who did this. We weren't going after you and didn't suspect you of anything until you took off." Mac told him. The kid sighed again and looked over at Don.

"I'm sorry." the apologized. Don nodded and stood back up.

"So, did you see anything?" he asked. The kid looked at them and shook his head quickly. Don groaned and turned away. He heard Mac clear his throat and speak again.

"Listen Robby, there's a man dead. From what we have so far, he was a good guy. No drugs, no charges, nothing. He was a volunteer at that church you probably ate at last night." Mac told him and Don saw the kid's head pop up.

"Zion?" he asked. Mac nodded and kept going.

"He's volunteered there for a while now and someone murdered him last night as he was leaving. They beat him and then shot him in the chest. He suffered, Robby. He bled out and suffered as he laid there and died."

"They covered up his body so people would only see his head. Passer byers thought he was just another homeless person and ignored him. But he was the one that saw you guys. And now he's dead. The man that helped feed you is dead." Don added in. Robby looked down at his hands and sighed.

"They're dangerous. He's dangerous." he mumbled. Mac and Don looked at one another and then back at the kid.

"No one will hurt you. We'll make sure of that." Don assured him. Robby shook his head and crossed his arms.

"That's what you always say. You don't give two shits about me. I'm just some fucking homeless kid to you. Nobody cares, otherwise I wouldn't be where I am." he snapped. Don growled and Mac sighed.

"Robby, we need to know what you saw. If you don't help us, they will go free and keep killing people. Hell, you might be next on their list." Mac told him, trying to keep his temper under control.

"What's in it for me?" Robby asked. "Besides the phony protection you think you can give me because that's all it is. They'll find me after they found out I spilled on them and they will kill me. You can't just send me back out there." Don leaned back on the table and looked at him.

"There's a private shelter in town. They take victims from SVU and us after a crime. They give you a semi private room and help you out until you're on your feet. I can get you out there. They won't find you." Don told him. Robby laughed and looked at the two men.

"I'll be there forever. I can't get a job. If I could, I'd have one." he told them. Mac looked down at his pants when he pager sounded. He looked at Don and slowly stood up to walk outside. Don took the seat and sighed.

"If you stay at the shelter and stay out of trouble, I can help find you a job. They will help find you job if need be. But we need you to tell us what happened the other night." Don told him. Robby stared at him and then looked away.

"I was left the church at midnight but I went to see a friend of mine. As I was leaving I saw the guy walking to his car. He was about to open the door when a couple guys walked out from the alley. They called to him and he turned around. One guy ambushed him and grabbed his arms. Another grabbed his legs and they took him into the alley. I snuck up to the side of the building and looked around. I saw the two guys plus like four other laughing and taking turns kicking him." Robby told him. "Then this one young guy walked up and took a gun from someone and shot the guy. Everyone ran off but the kid stood there for a minute. He looked scared."

"Did you get a good look at him?" Don asked, as he wrote down what the kid was saying.

"I can't explain him but if I saw him, I'd know." he told Don. "I do know that he didn't have any tattoos. All the other guys did."

"Are they a gang?" Don asked. "You said they were dangerous, he was dangerous? Who are they?"

"I don't know. They're a new gang or whatever. I've only heard of them climbing up the ranks. But I've heard the leader, he's crazy." Robby told him.

"Can you tell us anything else that might help us? Anything at all?" Don asked. Robby bit his lip and thought for a moment.

"They were all wearing blue bandannas. Some on their heads and some had them tied around their wrists." Robby added in. Don nodded and stood up.

"Alright, thanks Robby. I'll get the officer outside to take you down to the shelter." he told him and pulled out a card. "If you need me or remember anything else, call me." Don told him and handed the kid his card. Robby nodded and walked over to the door. Mac entered after Robby left and looked at Don.

"Get anything?" he asked. Don nodded and looked at his book.

"Yeah, looks like a gang did this. Kid said he saw a group of guys attack him, all wearing blue bandanna's somewhere on their bodies. Then he saw a younger kid, no tattoos or bandanna, take a gun from one guy and shoot." Don told him.

"Sounds like an initiation." Mac sighed. Don nodded and pointed to the phone.

"Who was that?" he asked. Mac smirked and leaned on the glass.

"Stella. Bullet got a hit from an old robbery case." Mac told him. "Gun belongs to Ricky Scott. And guess what?" Mac asked.

"What?" Don asked.

"He was notorious for jumping between the local gangs. He's been on the down low for a year or so but he's a perfect candidate." Don nodded and looked at his watch.

"Well, I'll bet Ricky's sporting a blue bandanna now." he told Mac. "So where you wanna start?" Mac looked at his watch and sighed.

"Probably around the area where the victim was found. Ask around for Ricky and see where we get but I don't want to go out there tonight. I'll get some uniform's to get some information and we'll go in the morning." Mac told him.

"Well, if that's the case," Don yawned. "I'm going home." Mac nodded and the two walked out the door. Don smirked when he saw Mac head for the elevators.

"That man never sleeps."

* * *

Lindsey woke up and let out a tiny squeak when she stretched her arms up. She frowned when she heard him chuckle and moved closer to her.

"What's so funny?" she asked turning over to look at him. She was surprised to see him wearing his glasses and laying on top of the covers.

"You sounded like a mouse." he told her. She glared at him and sat up to look at the time, 10:26am. "Hungry?" he asked as she laid back down and cuddled up to him.

"Yes." she mumbled and kissed his chest. He ran a hand through her hair and smiled. He had missed spending his mornings with her. Granted when they were on good terms, they weren't often but he loved them anyways. Waking up to her was amazing. The way she looked when she slept and the tiny noises, like the one she just made, brought a genuine smile to his face. But it was also comforting having her there. Having someone to lay next to every night and to kiss first thing in the morning, made him feel like he did something right. That's until he messed it all up.

"You okay?" she asked, noticing the look on his face. He smiled down at her and nodded.

"Yeah, just hungry." he told her. She rolled her eyes and moved the covers off of her. She grabbed her shorts and shirt from the bedside table and put them on. He followed her out to the kitchen and kissed her head as she sat down at the counter.

"What are you going make me?" she asked, smiling brightly. He opened his fridge and grabbed the box of eggs. "No!" she yelled, scaring him and almost making him drop the eggs. She squealed and covered her mouth as he grabbed the box before he dropped it. She bit her lip as he stared at her.

"What the hell, Montana?" he breathed.

"I don't want an omelet. I mean, your's are great but it's all you make." she told him slowly. He laughed and set the eggs down.

"I wasn't making an omelet." he told her. "I'm making pancakes. Banana pancakes, to be precise." Lindsey smiled and watched as he grabbed a couple bananas and the other ingredients to make the pancake batter. This was what she missed. The mornings waking up to him cooking for her. Even the nights he would call her over just to have her taste something he made, she missed that. She missed him all together. Danny was by far the last person she saw herself with when she first came here but now she wasn't sure why. Sure he was sarcastic, mostly rude and a pig but he was smart and funny. He made her laugh and made her feel good. That's all a girl could ask for, right?

"So I was thinking about asking Joli to come over to Don's tonight." Lindsey stated as she cut a piece of her pancake off. Danny looked over at her and smiled.

"She's already been invited." he told her. Lindsey had the fork half way to her mouth and stopped to look over at her on again, off again boyfriend.

"Are you poaching my friends? You do have your own, ya know?" she grumbled, thinking he invited Joli. He chuckled and shook his head.

"You're the second to think I was poaching Joli, but Don had other reasons. But no, I am not poaching and no, I did not invite her." he told her and grabbed the glass of juice they were sharing. Before he could put it to his lips, Lindsey grabbed it from him.

"Well, how has she already been invited?" she asked. He glared at her and tried to get the cup back. He sighed when he moved it farther from him each time.

"Don invited her." Danny nearly yelled and snatched the cup from her, taking a big gulp before she could take it back. Lindsey stared at him in shock.

"When did this happen and how did you find out before me?" she asked.

"I talked to Don before you woke up and he asked her last night when he was at her place." he smirked, knowing that would really eat at her. Lindsey's jaw dropped and she moved from the counter. How did she not know this first? She and Joli were females; they were the one that were supposed to gossip.

"Hey, where are you going?" Danny called as she slipped on a pair of shoes and headed for the door.

"I'll be back later! I gotta go have a chat with Joli." she yelled and shut the door behind her. Danny chuckled and then frowned when he saw his empty plate. He looked over at Lindsey's and shrugged as he grabbed her plate and finished eating it.

* * *

Joli was sleeping peacefully when she heard a constant knocking on her door. At first, she thought it was a dream then her phone rang. She reached over to the table and opened it when she saw Lindsey on the caller ID. She yawned as she answered

"Hello?" she breathed and rolled over onto her back.

"Are you home?" Lindsey asked quickly. Joli sat up a little and looked around.

"Yeah, why?" she asked, confused.

"Then answer your door." Lindsey sighed and hung up. Joli waited a minute and then she heard the knocking again. She got out of bed and walked to the door, grabbing her robe as she passed through. She unlocked the door and let Lindsey in. Joli almost laughed when she was what Lindsey was wearing, her night clothes.

"Everything okay?" Joli asked and waved her into the kitchen.

"Was Don here last night?" she blurted out as Joli was pouring them coffee. Joli turned to look at her and frowned.

"How did you know that?" she asked. "I didn't get wasted last night and call you, did I?" she asked, only half serious.

"You were drinking with him?" Lindsey exclaimed. Joli was too shocked to say anything. What was going on?

"Okay, wait." she said holding up her hands. "I was joking about getting drunk. But how did you know he invited me?" she asked.

"I was telling Danny that I wanted to invite you and he said you already were." Lindsey told her. Joli nodded and bit her lip.

"And how did Danny know this?" she asked.

"Apparently, he talked to Don before I woke up." she shrugged and sipped her coffee. Joli nodded and sipped her own. They were quiet for a minute and then Joli spoke up.

"So why were we all freaked out?" she asked. Lindsey laughed and set her cup down.

"I was freaking out because Danny got the good stuff before I did. But looks like we wanted to sleep in today." she smiled.

"Well, I have to be to work at midnight." Joli told her. "So I have a reason to be sleeping all day, especially if I'm going to Don's tonight before I go."

"You want me to take you?" Lindsey offered. Joli shook her head and sat down next to her.

"No, I'll take a cab. I don't want to ruin anyone's drinking night." she smiled. "I'll just ride with you there." Lindsey nodded and finished her coffee.

"So when did he stop by?" she asked. Joli smiled and poured them another cup.

"Midnight." she answered. "I was surprised too but it was interesting." she smiled and handed Lindsey her cup.

"How interesting?" Lindsey smiled.

"Well, before he came by I ran into Devon. We had a tift and when he knocked on my door, I yelled at him. He yelled back and I ended up running after him and getting him to come back up. We talked for a few and he got a phone call from work." Joli explained. Lindsey laughed and blew on her cup.

"Why do you two always have to yell at each other?" Joli held a hand up in defense.

"Hey, I took the blame for this. I was going to yell at anyone that knocked on my door." she laughed. Lindsey laughed with her and they finished another cup.

"Well, I guess I'll be going. You need some sleep before your shift tonight." Lindsey smiled and walked over to the door. Joli nodded and looked at her watch, 12pm.

"I'll be up around 3 or 4:30pm and I'll get ready. Just be here at 7pm and we're set." she smiled. Lindsey nodded and gave Joli a quick hug before say goodbye and leaving. Joli smiled as she shut the door and walked back to her room. She let out a long yawn as she settled back into her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

She was nervous. She wasn't sure why but she was. She nearly pokes her eye out when she was putting her mascara on but she managed to get everything on and in the right spot. Lindsey showed up right at 7:00pm and they left after that. They got there before 8pm but that was okay. When Don answered the door, Lindsey left to go see Danny, leaving them alone. Joli smiled at the tall detective and he let her inside.

"Thanks for coming, Doc." he smiled and looked at her. She had on a pair of dark blue jeans and a black wrap top. "They let you wear that at work?" he asked and handed her a beer. Joli smiled at him and took the beer that he offered her.

"I wear a white coat remember." she told him and opened her beer. "I just have to get it respectable and not do it too often." Don nodded and pointed her to the living room. She followed him in and smiled at Danny.

"Well, looky here." he smiled. "No yelling, throwing or insulting each other?" he asked. Joli shook her head and laughed.

"No. Not yet at least." she said and winked at Don. Lindsey saw it and smiled at Danny.

"So you said you had to work, right?" Don asked as he sat down on the sofa. He patted the seat next to him and she took it, turning so that she faced him.

"Yes, so I'm limited on these." she said holding up the beer. "But I gotta be there at midnight."

"Or what you'll turn into a pumpkin?" Don teased. She smiled and brought the beer to her lips. "I'll make sure you get there before the clock strikes 12." he told her and looked at his watch. "But for now, we got a couple hours to spare." Joli smiled and nodded.

She sat with them as they watched a football game on the t.v. but about 9pm she started to get hungry. She slowly got up and walked into the kitchen and didn't notice that Don was behind her until he grabbed her sides. She jumped and turned around gripping the counter.

"My god." she breathed and looked up at Don. She was about to laugh or say something but she realized how close they were. She also realized that his hand was slowly moving up her side. They only broke apart when Danny came bounding into the kitchen with an empty beer.

"Refill!" he yelled and grabbed two more beers from the fridge. Don rubbed his chin and looked over at Joli. She laughed and rubbed her stomach.

"Hungry?" he asked. She bit her lip and nodded. "There's a take out place a block down, you wanna go grab something? I'm not too excited about pizza at the moment." he suggested. Joli nodded and grabbed her jacket.

"We'll be right back!" Don yelled and walked her out of his apartment. They were silent as they left the building and it was Don that broke the silence.

"We found the kid." he told her. Joli smiled up at him and nodded.

"You didn't give him too hard of a time, did you?" she asked. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Actually, it was easier towards the end." he told her. "He was scared to talk about what happened." He wasn't sure if he should keep going or not. He wasn't sure if she really cared about what he did today or what. Joli looked up at him almost afraid to ask why he was afraid but asked anyways.

"Why was he scared?" she asked softly.

"Seems like it was a gang initiation and he heard they were new and ruthless." he told her. "He was scared they would come find him and hurt him too." Joli nodded and shook her head.

"That's horrible about that man. Murdered for kicks." she mumbled. Don sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, it's bad. But I told the kid I'd help him out. I got him at a new shelter and I'm going to help him get a job." he told her and smiled seeing the smile come back on her face.

"That's nice." she smiled. "Where at though?" she asked. Don laughed and looked up at the sky.

"Not sure." he told her. She bit her lip and looked over at him.

"I over heard a nurse talking about needing a new janitor." she started and Don looked down at her. "Maybe I could talk to my boss and see if he would get the boy an interview." she suggested.

"You'd do that?" he asked. She smiled brightly and nodded.

"Yeah. But he's got to take it seriously and no messing up." she told him. He nodded and opened the door to the Chinese place.

"I'll be sure to warn him." he laughed and walked in after her.

* * *

They didn't go straight back to his place after they got their food. Joli suggested they walk down to the park and eat there. Don agreed and sent Danny a text to let them know they'd be a little longer. They found an empty bench and sat down to eat.

"So are you an only child?" she asked as she scooped the rice into her mouth. Don shook his head and waited to swallow to speak.

"No, I have a brother and a sister." he told her. "Michael is 29 and Angie is 26." he said and looked at her. "What about your sister?"

"Celesti is 21." she told him. "You younger or older than your brother and sister?" she asked, just now realizing that she didn't know how old he was. Don smirked and set his box down.

"Older." he answered and laughed at her face.

"How old are you, Don?" she asked.

"I'll be 31 in January." he told her. She nodded and sipped her water. "How old are you?"

"I turned 24 in June." she told him. "You don't look 30, by the way."

"They've always said I had the baby face. My brother actually looks older than me." he laughed.

"My sister looks like she's 16." Joli laughed. "You ever been married?" she asked slowly.

"Nope. The only one actually. Well, after February I'll be the only one. Michael has been married for two years and Angie will be in February." he told her.

"Are you one of those guys that believes that a piece of paper is just that?" she asked. Don looked at her for minute and thought about it.

"No not really. I've never really thought about it, I won't lie. But if it happens, it happens. No sooner." he told her. "Why are you one of the girls that wants a big fairy tale wedding?"

"No not really." she laughed using his answer. "I've thought about my wedding but not like other girls. The only thing I want is for my sister to be my maid of honor and my dad to walk me down whatever aisle I have to walk down. I don't car about the flowers, the place, or the guest." she told him.

"You're not a normal girl." he stated. Joli smiled at him and nodded.

"That a bad thing?" she asked. He smirked and shook his head.

"Nope, not at all." he declared and stood up to throw away their trash. Joli stood up and looked at her watch, 11:25pm.

"I better be going. I don't want to be late for my second shift." she smiled. Don nodded and looked down the street and threw his arm out when he saw a cab approach. Joli smiled as the cab stopped in front of her. He opened the door for her and she laughed.

"What time do you get off?" he asked as she stood between him and the cab.

"9am." she told him. He nodded and leaned forward to hand the driver some money. "No, I'll get it." she protested but Don shrugged.

"It's alright." he told her. "I'm sure you can find some way to repay me." he smirked and took a step back from the door. She smiled and got into the cab.

"Thanks for tonight. I had fun." she told him.

"Anytime, Doc." he winked as she closed the door. He watched as the car pulled off and when it was out of sight he made his way back to his apartment and abandoned friends.


	9. Crepes and Slaps

**Okay so sorry it's a little late. I wanted to try and get another chapter done before posting this one but that didn't happen. But I'll get that done soon...lol. And how excited was everyone for the new season starter?! I WAS! It was awesome and they added Sid AND Adam to the intro, yes! Also just an FYI...I don't usually like doing this but I will be adding some episodes from the new season into this story. There's also a new story line...BEG knows what I'm talking about ;)...I will be adding that in also...seeing as my OC isn't a Lindsey hater...lol. If you don't know what I'm talking about, Google Anna Belknap and read about her new exciting news and how it will effect the new season and her & Danny. You'll be shocked trust me, I was! Now for lovely reviews...**

**BEG75- Yes, have a bottle of water ready...but only after Joli holds up a nice handful of red hair!! I want to slowly get them to be friends. It's not going to be easy for Don and Joli, but it'll get there...lol. FYI I didn't tell you this earlier but that news...lol...I shrared with you will be added into this. I think I'm one of the few who likes Lindsey...lol. And we already tlaked about jupming on him and not waiting three dates. I wonder if Joli will have that self control if it ever comes to that? LOL Thanks a bunch!! :)**

**hope4sall- Yes, slowly but surely. I can't have them go from explosive to fluffy...lol. Bu tit shall turn to that...maybe. ;)**

**JaydenBell- HaHa...I was wondering who would wonder about that IOU...lol. So that totally gave me a head start on the first part of this! Yes, Don needs a slightly younger woman to bring out that old charm...lol. Thanks a lot! :)**

**WinchesterWench- WELCOME BACK! Man, I missed you...lol! Hope all was well in the trip and I'm glad you liked what you caught up on. Joli is a firecracker, that's for sure. And her and Devon together...not good. :)**

**nylondon- Thanks! Yes, their next round is very, very close...like look down to read close...lol. Ding, ding, ding! Glad you liked it!**

**Soccer-Bitch- Thank you!! :)**

**Rydia-Sorcha- Aww welcome and thanks! I'm glad you like it. It's my third NY story and I'm slowly getting better at it. But this by far is my baby of the moment...lol. **

* * *

To say that she was exhausted was an understatement. Joli was so far past that it was unreal. Apparently, everyone had decided to drive recklessly that night because she had seen five different car accidents, from fender benders to one that needed the jaws of life. Not all were serious and only two people required surgery but it was hectic. She wasn't having a lot of problems but one intern didn't show up, they still hadn't hired any nurses and another med student dropped out at the last minute. So they almost expected her to pick up all the slack but oddly enough, that was okay. She didn't miss a beat going from nurse and back to med student and that showed them a lot that night. But as the wee early hours of the morning passed and her end of shift hour approached, the adrenaline wore off and all she wanted was a hot breakfast to get her sleepy and them go home and crash.

She had also forgotten that she didn't drive and was about to hail a cab when she saw a familiar face in the parking lot. She waved the taxi off and walked over to Don.

"Hey." she smiled. He took his glasses off and smiled down at her.

"I figured out how you could repay me." he told her right off the bat. She laughed and crossed her arms.

"Really?" she asked and tried to sound thoroughly interested.

"Yes, I did." he nodded. "It's something hot." he smirked. Joli felt a slight blush as he clearly looked her up and down.

"Something satisfying." he went on and moved closer to Joli. His hand fell on her hip and moved around to her back as he stood behind her. "And something we both want, really badly." he whispered.

"Yeah, what's that?" she asked, trying not to let her voice break. Don got close to her ear and laid both hands on her shoulders.

"Breakfast." he told her and moved from behind her. "And you're buying." he winked and walked to his car. Joli smirked as she watched him walk off.

_'That bastard.'_ she thought as she got into his patrol car. "So where to?" she asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Ever been to Benny's Breakfast?" he asked. Joli shook her head and he smirked. "Well, today is your lucky day then." he smiled and drove out of the hospital.

* * *

"So you work today?" Joli asked as he drove to the diner.

"Yeah, later. Me and Mac are trying to find this gang so until then all we can do is wait." he told her. Joli nodded and looked over at him.

"What made you want to be cop?" she asked. Don smirked and looked over at her.

"My father. He was a cop and growing up as the oldest, I only really had him to look up to." he told her. "When I was little I'd hear him come home at night and I'd go downstairs to listen to him tell my mom about his day at work. Some days it was good and other were bad but I loved listening to him tell those stories. Just the way he said them, with all the passion and excitement, made me want to do that too. I want to tell my stories to someone one day." Joli smiled as he told her his story and nodded when he was done.

"That's great, Don. I bet he's real proud of you." she told him softly. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Sometimes I think but sometimes I don't." he told her honestly.

"What about your mother?" she asked. Don sighed and looked at the road intently.

"That's a story for a rainy day." he told her. Joli felt bad for brining it up but changed the subject quickly.

"My dad didn't force me to go into the medical field." she told him. Don looked over at her almost shocked.

"Really?" he asked. Joli smiled and nodded.

"No, my mom thinks thats he bribed me somehow but he didn't. I went to nursing school because I wanted to." she told him. Don nodded and pointed to her white coat in her lap.

"Why did you go back to school?" he asked.

"Well, I was a nurse for about a year when this new hot shot doctor came to work for us. He worked in my floor, which was the NICU at the time, and at the end of a school year he managed to talk me into going back to school but to be a doctor. He said I had way more potential than a regular nurse and that I should use to. So I did and here I am in my third year." she smiled.

"Do you like it?" he asked. The question caught Joli off guard but she smiled a little.

"Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I hate not being able to talk with my patients and really care for them. Being a doctor I am with them for a few minutes and then I'm gone. The nurses are the heart of the hospital and I miss that. But I like being the one to be in the lead in the ER when a GSW comes in and I get to stable them. I like being able to be right there." she explained. Don nodded, understanding.

"That's why I'm iffy on trying to move up another rank." Don told her. "Right now, I can go around the scenes and go see people but if I move up any farther, I'm sitting in an office and working with the media. I don't know I if want to give up that hands on job just yet."

"Well, from what I've heard, you don't need to give it up just yet." she smiled. Don laughed as he pulled into the diner. He walked her into the diner, making sure to open the door for her, and took a seat at the counter. He passed her a menu and she looked it over.

"You come here often?" she asked, noticing he didn't have a menu in hand.

"All the time. Benny knew my dad when they were kids. His dad was cook and taught Benny all that he knew. Benny knew how to cook but people picked on him for it so he never went for it. But when his dad was dying all he asked for was that Benny ignore everyone else and keep on cooking." Don smiled and looked around. "Well, a year after his dad died, Benny bought this place and opened it up. He makes the best damn breakfast you'll ever eat."

"So it seems." Joli laughed and laid the menu down. "He has everything from crepes to souffles."

"He can do it all, I swear." Don smiled and waved over a young waitress.

"Detective." the girl smiled and looked at Joli. Her face faltered for a minute, surprised to see a new face with him. "Drinks?" she asked.

"Coffee for me, please. Decaf." Joli smiled. The girl nodded and walked off, already knowing what Don wanted.

"Know what you want?" he asked looking over at Joli. She bit her lip and shook her head.

"Nope, but you can order for me." she smiled. Don sighed and scratched his head.

"What can't you eat?" he asked and picked up the menu. Joli laughed and turned to him.

"I can eat anything but I choose not to eat anything that came from something with a face." she told him simply. Don nodded and looked over the menu.

"Not even eggs?" he asked.

"On occasion but I do try and stay away from what could have been a cute yellow baby chicken." she chuckled and Don shook his head. "Cheese is my main weakness. I love cheese." she smiled. Don nodded and poked the menu.

"I got it." he smiled and looked over at Joli. "Banana oatmeal bake. It's only got a little egg and it's great."

"Okay, I'll trust you." she smiled and he waved the waitress back. He ordered two orders of the banana oatmeal bake and Joli smiled. "You could have gotten some meat infested plate, ya know? I don't take offense when others eat meat."

"Yeah, but you talking about eating things with faces, it got me queasy." he laughed. "As stupid as this might sound, I forget sometimes that the meat comes from an animal."

"A lot of people do." she nodded. "It's not stupid though. You grow up with it and always look at it as food and not what used to be a cow or pig. But that's okay, it's normal."

"Why did you stop eating meat?" he asked.

"I saw a sight no one should see. If it wasn't for that day, I'd be eating a greasy burger right now." she smiled. They chatted until the waitress brought them their plates. Joli was impressed. It was good. She couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh when she was done. Don laughed and looked over at her.

"Do I need to tell you I told ya so?" he asked. Joli shook her head and smiled.

"No, I'll tell myself that later." she laughed and reached in her purse. She laid a twenty and a ten under the bill and waved to the waitress as her and Don stood up. "Thanks for suggesting it." she smiled.

"Thanks for paying." he smiled. She laughed and walked outside. As Don stepped out of the door his phone rang and he groaned. Joli walked over to a bench as he answered his phone. He was a little pissed that Mac once again interrupted his time with Joli but he was excited that Mac had told him he found a possible gang.

"Work?" she asked as she hung up.

"When isn't it work?" he joked.

"I can walk from here. My place isn't too far away." she smiled and stood up. Don shook his head and pointed to his car.

"I got time, I can take you." he told her.

"It's alright, it's a nice day." she smiled. He sighed and gave in.

"Alright but be careful. I'd hate to have to tear a junkie a new hole for hurting you." he grinned. Joli smiled and bit her lip.

"I will. I guess I'll see you later." she told him and started to walk off.

"Later, Doc." Don waved. Joli held up her hand and Don watched her until she turned a corner and was out of sight. He reluctantly got into the car and headed for Brooklyn again.

* * *

Don saw Mac standing next to his car and pulled up behind him. He saw that Mac had another officer with him and he made sure his gun was checked before he got out the car. Mac nodded when Don walked up and looked around.

"So what's the deal?" he asked.

"The uniform's I had on patrol said that there was this new group of guys led by some old gang banger. They've been causing a ruckus trying to make a name for themselves." Mac told him. "There's an old apartment down that alley and they usually hang out there." Don nodded and looked at him.

"So you ready?" he asked. Mac nodded and the three men walked over to the alley between a store and a cafe. They walked about half way down until they saw a group of guys standing there. Don was a little surprised when no one took off but figured they were told to stay calm.

"Morning boys." Mac greeted and took his glasses off. Don scanned the groups faces and looked for either Ricky Scott or the new member that Robby said did the shooting itself. Don spotted one that didn't have a lot of tattoos but he didn't find Ricky.

"What?" one guy asked, stepping forward. Don moved his jacket over and flashed his badge. The kid glared at him and crossed his arms. "What?"

"There was a murder a few alley's down the other night, you heard about it?" Mac asked. The men chuckled a little and shrugged.

"Maybe. Some guy was killed, so what?" the guy asked. Don smirked and stepped forward a little.

"So where were you and your little buddies the other night at midnight?" Don asked. The guy glared again and sniffed.

"Around." he answered. Don looked back at Mac and sighed. He knew they weren't going to talk and he also knew he needed that younger looking kid. There's always a new guy that's so scared that he would spill in a matter of minutes. Don looked around the alley again and smirked. He turned back to the group of guys and pulled out his cuffs.

"Who's lucky day is it?" he yelled. The group scattered and went to take off. Don lunged for the guy with little tattoos and quickly snapped the cuffs on his wrist. The other men yelled and shouted from the end of the alley as Mac stared at Don suspiciously.

"What are you doing?" the kid yelled.

"Arresting you, what does it look like?" Don asked and pushed him to the front of the alley.

"For what?" he asked. Don pulled him back and turned him to the wall. He pointed to a red and white sign and the kid sighed.

"Loitering." Don smirked and handed him off to the other officer. Mac waited until the kid was in the back to speak to Don.

"You have a reason for this?" Mac asked. Don laughed and nodded.

"He looks like the runt, they always spill." he told him. Mac chuckled and the men turned to go back to their cars.

"That was slick." Mac commented as he stepped into his car.

* * *

Don stood up, leaning against the wall, staring at Robby as he watched the line up of men step up one by one. When the kid that Don pulled out stepped up Robby turned to look at him.

"He didn't do it but he was there. He helped drag the guy to the alley." Robby told him. Don nodded and let the officer take Robby out. Don walked into the interrogation room with Mac right behind him. A few minutes later the kid was sitting in front of them and picking at something on his jeans.

"You going to talk or are we going to have to just charge you?" Don asked. The kid, Andrew Soloman, shot his head up and stared wide eyed at the detective.

"With what? Loitering?" he asked. Don shook his head and leaned back into his chair.

"Nope, accessory to murder. I might can swing attempted murder too." he told Andrew. Mac nodded and leaned on the table.

"We have a witness that saw the attack and he just told us that you were one of the men that attacked the man that was shot. So do you want to tell us what happened and who did what or do we need to get you a lawyer and a nice cell mate?" Mac asked. Andrew looked between the two of them and clenched his jaw.

"You do realize that if I tell you anything, I'm dead." Andrew spat.

"And do you realize that is you don't tell us what we need to know, you're going to jail for a while but if you tell us you won't be in there for too long. You could get off on a battery of some kind." Mac told him. Andrew snorted and shook his head.

"Is it me or does his silence sound like he's guilty of more?" Don asked Mac. Mac looked at Don and then Andrew.

"It's not just you." Mac told him and Andrew glared at them.

"Was our witness wrong? Was it you that killed that man? Did you shoot him and take off? Did you take Ricky's gun?" Don grilled and Andrew's head popped up at Ricky's name. Don smirked and leaned over on the table. "Did I hit a chord?"

"How did you know it was Ricky's gun?" Andrew asked softly.

"Because we're not stupid." Mac told him bluntly. "Whether you tell us what happened or not, we're still arresting someone, maybe even everyone. But you tell us exactly what happened, that will get you off easier." he told him. Don looked over at Andrew expectantly. Andrew sighed and leaned on the table.

"Alright. I'll talk." he mumbled.

* * *

Joli was beyond relieved when she got home after breakfast. She was tired and finally was able to sleep. She enjoyed the breakfast with Don but she wanted sleep and lots of it. Luckily, she had the next day off so she would be fully rested when sh went back in the next day. She would also be able to go see her dad and call her sister, depending on if she got a new phone. The thought of calling her mom crossed her mind but she wasn't too sure if she wanted to do that just yet. But, like they say, life doesn't wait.

The shrill ringing of the Wizard of Oz song broke the still silence of her bedroom and she groaned as she turned over to grab her phone. She took a deep breath and slowly flipped the phone open.

"Hello?" she answered groggily.

"Joli." came her mothers curt reply.

"Yes?" Joli sighed.

"How are you?" Laura asked slowly. Joli scrunched her brows together and sat up on her pillows.

"Good. And you?" she asked.

"Fine. It's a little lonely here without you but I still have Ci Ci." she said. Joli kept up the conversation and stayed nice seeing as it seemed her mother was doing the same thing. And through the odd but civil conversation her mother didn't mention her father nor did she yell at her for leaving and not coming back. All was well during that phone call and Joli was surprised when she was upset by a knock at her door.

"Hey listen, I'll call you later. Someone's here." Joli told her. Laura sighed and said her goodbye's as Joli walked to her door. She, once again, forgot to look through the peep hole and instantly regretted it when she opened the door.

"Devon." Joli greeted harshly. The normally smug looking Devon looked the complete opposite, she was pissed.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are but you need to watch yourself." Devon hissed, glaring at Joli. Joli was taken aback, to say the least. Devon was trying to play sweet or even throw little insults at her this time, she wanted a freaking war.

"Why do you insist on coming to my house and yelling at me like a childish high school girl?" Joli asked, casually. Devon stepped to her and pointed a finger in her face.

"Stay away from him. He's mine and only mine." Devon growled. Joli's eyes widened and she smirked at Don.

"Who? Don?" she asked.

"Who else would I be talking about?" Devon nearly screamed at her. Joli held her smirk and remained calm.

"Well, that depends," she started. "How many guys to do have on the side?" she asked. Devon's face almost got as red as her hair and before either one of them realized it, Devon's palm came smashing across Joli's face. Joli held her cheek and Devon tried not to look surprised. Joli stepped from her door and as Devon went to smack her again, Joli's hand did the same motion and caught Devon's jaw in a hard punch. Devon grabbed her face and glared at Joli.

"Stay away from him, you ugly bitch." Devon warned.

"We're just friends, slut." Joli yelled. "And I must not be so ugly if you're tripping out about your man wanting me." she smirked. Devon let out a shrill scream and took off down the hallway. Joli stood there after yet another bad encounter with her neighbor.

"This building is horrible." Joli mumbled as she walked back inside and grabbed the newspaper. "It's time to find a new apartment."

* * *

Devon was livid. She was pissed off that her best friend had called her to tell her that Don was with some girl at Benny's. Then she finds out that chick was Joli and then Joli insults her like that. AS far as Devon was concerned, no one talked to her that way. So here she was walking through the doors of the precinct to have a tiny chat with her boyfriend. She needed to get a few things straight and she needed to do it now.

"I need to speak with Detective Flack, please." Devon smiled sweetly tot he lady at the front desk. The lady was about to pick up the phone but set it back down.

"He's right there, miss." she said and pointed behind her. Devon turned to see Don and some other man walking into the lobby and for the doors. Don looked around the room and his eyes fell on Devon and he did a double take.

"Mac, I'll meet you outside." Don told him and walked over to Devon. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he asked, dragging her to the side of the room.

"I know you were having breakfast with that bitch." she seethed. Don rolled his eyes and she hit his chest. He stopped laughing and grabbed her wrist. This was the last thing he needed, her bitching at him. He had just gotten the name and location of the guy that shot their victim and of Ricky Scott, he was in a good mood and in a hurry.

"Watch yourself, Devon." he warned.

"I don't want you seeing her anymore." she told him bluntly. Don smirked at her and let her wrist go.

"I will see whoever I want." he told her and walked to the doors. Devon followed after him and yelled at him as he got to Mac.

"I mean it, Don!" Don turned to her and grabbed her arm.

"Stop being a bitch, you're embarrassing yourself." he growled.

"Flack, we gotta go." Mac yelled from the car. Don looked back at Devon and let her go.

"I'll deal with you later." he warned and jumped into the car with Mac. Mac looked at him for a second and sighed.

"What was that about?" he asked. Don looked out the window and grunted.

"Devon doesn't like Joli and she found out that we had breakfast together." Don told him. Mac nodded and looked back to the road. He heard from a few people that Don and Joli were finally getting along but he figured Devon didn't like that.

"So you think Jason will confess?" Mac asked, changing the subject.

"I hope so. I'm tired of all these gang bangers sending us on wild goos chases and forcing us to make them spill." Don sighed. "Plus, we got a two witnesses willing to testify. Whether he confesses or not, we got him. Ricky too, depending on what Jason says." Mac nodded and looked back over at Don.

"Listen, I know I'm not Danny or one of your close friends but from what I've heard, Joli is a really good girl. Smart." Mac told him. "She doesn't need someone like Devon causing her trouble. No one needs Devon causing them trouble. Not even you. I know you're tired of us telling you to end it with her but it's probably for the best." Don sighed and looked over at Mac.

"I'm talking to her, don't worry." Don told him. "But for now, I want to get this kid in cuffs and go home to relax."


	10. Break Ups

**So this is slightly longer than the others. Only me and BEG know why that is though. I'm going to start making them longer so I won't feel bad for springing teh upcoming chapters on you and them being hella long...lol. The reg...I don't own anyone except Joli and anyone else you do not recognize. I wish I owned Flack. :( Anyways, sorry for the delay, I've been busy. But I'm back now. So as for reviewers!**

**BEG75- Yes, Devon ruined it there...lol. But as the title of this chapter says...:) It's the day we've all been waiting for! Thanks so much for the support! Hope you liked this one! :)**

**JaydenBell- You are like a mind reader...lol. Just read this chapter. I'm glad you liked it though. I had to pull the tension out last chapter! It was bound to ahppen and I agree, if he didn't say breakfast soon, one of them would have exploded. Glad you liked it and you're going to love the ending of this...lol.**

**WinchesterWench- Well, we know they are adding the pregnancy in for sure. They are showing the ep in November. And I too will be adding that in sometime soon. But I'm glad you liked it! :)**

**SoccerBitch- Thank you!! :)**

**hope4sall- All I can say is read this...lol. I'm going to make a lot of people really happy today! :)**

**cherryspark101- Yes, you're right. I'm adding that in like the show is. Granted I'm not followign every ep but Linds will be sporting the baby bump. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Forest Angel- LOL Yes, everyone thinks that so I can fianlly say...wishes granted after you read this. :) Thanks!**

**pact des loup- Thank you very much! Enjoy! :)**

**Arai DeLoncray- Thanks a bunch! :)**

* * *

Cranky was not the word to describe Don Flack right now. Neither was utterly pissed off or aggravated as hell. No, none of these fit how he was feeling right now.

Don went home after he and Mac managed to arrest a 21 year old Jason Rodriguez. After a long grilling and a load of threats later, Jason admitted that he was the one that killed Charles David. Why? To be in the gang. Don had tried to get anything on Ricky and the other guys but could only manage to get an assault charge thrown there way. They'd be out soon but Jason was going away for a while. He hated that he couldn't get the rest of them behind bars but that was the job. Things never went the way you wanted them too.

When he got home though he made sure to turn his cell of and he buried his pager in a pile of cloths in the corner of his room. He did not want to be bothered by anyone for any reason at all. He wasn't on call and he had that day off, so he was sleeping in. But that's not what he got.

At 7am a loud knock came at his door. He ignored it and turned over to go back to sleep but the next four knocks kept him up. After a few more knocks, Don snatched the covers off of his body and stormed though his apartment to his door. He was not a happy camper as he ripped the door open to see who it was that was waking him up on his day off and yell at them mercilessly. But when he saw her standing there, holding up a box of donuts almost in defense, all he could do was smile.

"I come in peace, I swear." Joli smiled and bit her lip, hoping that he wouldn't go off on her. She knew it was his day off and she also knew he had a bad day yesterday but she needed to talk to him, apologize. Though all thought of why she was there nearly vanished when he opened the door. She couldn't stop her heart from beating just a tad bit faster when she saw his disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes. She also couldn't stop the thought of how disappointed she was when he was wearing a shirt this time.

Her heart settled when she saw him smile and push the door open for her to come in. She smiled again and slowly walked past him and into his apartment.

Don asked as he ushered her into the living room. He moved past her to clean off his couch and she laughed a little. She didn't expect to find a clean apartment but she was surprised that he cleaned her off a spot to sit down "I'm a guy." he smirked. Joli nodded and handed him the box of donuts. "This a joke or some kind of peace offering for waking me up on my day off?" he joked.

"Peace offering for waking you up and an apology of some sorts." she told him and sat down next to him. He flipped the box open and pulled out one of the glazed donuts.

"So why the surprise visit and what did you do?" he asked as he bit into the breakfast treat.

"I heard you had a visitor at work yesterday." she stated and Don rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Devon had a shit fit because we had breakfast. Came to the precinct and tried to tear me a new one." he told her and wiped his mouth. "What's that got to do with you and your visit?" Joli sighed and looked down at her hands.

"Part of that is my fault." she told him. Don smirked and set the box down. He moved to look at face her and crossed his arms.

"How's that?" he asked.

"She came to my place before she went to see you. And well, there was a tiny altercation."

"An altercation?" Don asked, not liking the sound of this. Joli nodded and took a deep breath.

"She came by my place and went off on me about seeing you and stuff. Told me that I was an ugly bitch and all other kinds of stuff like how I need to keep my hands to myself. And well, I got a little snippy." Don smirked and looked at her.

"You got snippy? I never thought I'd see that day." he teased. Joli glared at him and continued her story.

"Well, she didn't like it and well, she slapped me." The grin was no longer on Don Flack's face now.

"She what?" Don growled. Now he was pissed off again. Coming to him was one thing but going to Joli and attacking her was another.

"She slapped me but I slapped her back." Joli said quickly, thinking he was going to be mad at her for hitting his girlfriend. Sure she had the thought that he really didn't like Devon that much but the look on his face made her think differently. "You're mad." Joli said stating the obvious.

"Yes, I am." he nodded calmly.

"At me?" she asked softly. "I really didn't mean to hit her, Don. My better judgment slipped away and I just hit her. I'm really sor-" she rushed and Don chuckled, holding his hand up to stop her.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at Devon." he told her. "She hit you first, she came over to your place in the first place then she came to my work. You're no where near being on my shit list right now, Doc." he assured her. Joli let out a breath and nodded, all the while letting a tiny smile cross her face when she heard her newly found nick name.

"Well, I heard that she paid you a visit and I figured I might have provoked her to go there." she told him.

"She would have come there even if she didn't see you. She's like that." Don sighed and rubbed his face. They were silent for a few minutes as they each nibbled on a donut. Then Don broke the silence.

"I'm ending it." he stated. Joli looked over at him and nodded.

"Good." Don chuckled and looked at her.

"No trying to stick up for her like other people do?" he joked. Joli smirked and leaned back on his couch.

"I'm not other people. And no, I'm not going to stick up for her. She hit me and she's a bitch. You can do much better, Don." she told him honestly. Don nodded and picked up another donut.

"Trust me, I know." he mumbled and took a big bite. "You going to work?" he asked after he swallowed.

"Yeah, I'm on nurse duty today though. More to do but less hours." she smiled. "Oh I talked to my boss about that kid and the janitorial job."

"Yeah, what's the verdict?" he asked looking over at her.

"He said he'd give him a try but if he messes up or does anything bad, it's on my back." she told him.

"Then don't." Don told her. "I'm not sure if he's a stand up kid and I'm not going to let him make you look bad." Joli smiled and shook her head.

"No, he needs a job. It's the first step in getting his life back. I'll help him and he'll work my shifts for the most part. It's okay with me, really." she assured him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, call him and tell him to come in sometime today. I'll be there until five." she smiled.

"Thanks, I'll make sure he knows to behave himself." he smirked. "What time do you have to be at work?" he asked looking at the clock on the other side of the wall.

"9am." she told him and looked at her watch. "But I should be going now. I gotta fill out some paperwork from my last shift." she smiled and stood up. Don stood up after her and followed her to the door. He leaned on the frame as she stepped outside.

"Thanks for breakfast." he smiled.

"But not the wake up." she laughed.

"Nah, the wake up wasn't so bad either." he told her. Joli smiled and nodded.

"Well, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later." Don nodded.

"Sorry about Devon, again. But maybe she won't be a ruckus anymore after today." he told her one last time.

"It's okay. I'll call you later." she smiled and walked off down the hall. Don watched her walk away and then slowly walked back into his apartment. He stopped by the kitchen counter and reached for his phone. He dialed the familiar number and waited for her to pick up.

_Hey, it's Devon. Sorry I can't pick up but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Later._

"Devon, its Don. I wanted to see if you were free for lunch, we need to talk. Call me back." he said and hit the end button. He took a deep breath and set the phone back down before walking back to his room.

* * *

Joli looked up from her paperwork to see who called her name. She smiled when she saw Lindsey but it faltered when she saw a young girl with her.

"Hey." Joli smiled softly.

"We need a triage room." Lindsey told her and looked back at the girl. "And I may need some help." Joli nodded and walked over to the board for the triage rooms.

"She can go to room 3." Joli told them and walked from behind the desk. The three girls walked down the hallway and Joli pushed the door to room 3 open for the girl. "Take a seat in here for a minute. We'll be right in." The girl walked into the room and took a seat on the bed. Joli closed the door and looked at Lindsey.

"She was found at a scene this morning. Her boyfriend was murdered and she said she was raped by the attacker. She's eighteen and Mac is calling her mother now." Lindsey explained, knowing what Joli wanted to ask.

"Why would you need help?" Joli asked.

"She's scared. I need to do a rape kit and even when it was me talking to her, she was really nervous. I figured one of us could do the rape kit and the other could calm her down." Joli nodded and looked passed Lindsey to see an older man walking down the hall.

"Lindsey." he called and she turned around. "Angell found the girl's mother and is bringing her down as we speak. She only told her about the boy but not the rape. Figured we'd wait until we found out if she was and then tell her."

"I'm about to go in now." Lindsey told him then pointed to Joli. "Mac this is Joli Hammberback, Sid's daughter. Joli this is Mac Taylor, my boss." Mac smiled and held his hand out for Joli.

"Joli, it's very nice to meet you. I've heard great things about you." Mac told her. Joli smiled and shook his hand.

"Same here. I've been waiting to meet you." Mac nodded and looked between her and Lindsey.

"Well, it was nice to finally meet you but we might want to go ahead and get an answer before the girl's mother gets here." Mac told them. Joli nodded and pushed the door open so she and Lindsey could step inside. Joli smiled weakly at the young girl as she sat on the table.

"Hannah this is Dr. Joli Hammerback, she's going to help me with your exam." Lindsey told her softly. Hannah looked around nervously and nodded slowly.

"Hannah, I'm going to need you to remove your clothes and get into this gown for me. We'll need you to remove one article at a time and hand them to Detective Monroe so she can bag them." Joli told her softly and her heart ached when the tears fell down Hannah's cheek. This was why she hated her job.

"It's okay to be scared and nervous but we need to do this exam so we can confirm that you were raped and if you were hopefully there's evidence so we can catch the guy that did this." Lindsey spoke up as she put gloves on.

"I told you I was raped, don't you believe me?" Hannah croaked. Joli pulled up a chair and sat in front of the table.

"We do but we need to have proof and document it." she told her. "I know you're scared-" Hanna let out a sob and shook her head.

"Don't say that." Joli looked at Lindsey quickly and reached out to grab Hannah's hand.

"I'm not lying. I know how feel." she told her gently. Lindsey eyes moved from the young girl to her new friend and stared at her, as did Hannah. "I was attacked one night in high school. I was leaving a football game and a man grabbed me and pulled me under the bleachers. He didn't rape me but he caused year's worth of nightmares."

"Did they find him?" Hannah whispered.

"I went to the hospital and I let them take what they needed. I scratched him and they got his DNA from under my nails. I might not have been attacked like you but I do understand the feeling of having your space intruded on and not feeling safe anymore. The only closure and relief I got was when I saw him being put into the back of the police car." Joli told her. Lindsey walked over and laid a hand on Hannah's shoulder.

"It won't take long but it's for the best." Lindsey told her. Hannah nodded and scooted off the table. Joli gathered the things to do the kit as Hannah stripped her clothes off and handed them to Lindsey.

She almost couldn't take the look of pain and sadness on the girls face as Lindsey snapped pictures and documented every last scratch and bruise on her body and then took each finger to try and get any kind of evidence from under her nails. Joli could remember having someone do that to her just over five years ago. Just the feeling of someone having to brush her hair for something, anything to find the man that attacked her was enough to make her sick to her stomach. The feeling of knowing that he could have raped her or maybe killed her, it was unreal. It was something she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy.

"Okay, Hannah I need you to lay back and bend your knees for me." Lindsey whispered to the girl. Hannah whimpered as she laid back and as Lindsey drew up the bottom of her gown. Joli walked over with the tray and handed it to Lindsey. Then she walked over to Hannah and grabbed her hand.

"Just hold me hand, squeeze if you want to." Joli whispered to her.

* * *

Lindsey never had been so overwhelmed while doing at rape kit. The information she heard before the exam had sent her emotions into overdrive. Hearing what had happened to Joli and then hearing how well she talked to Hannah, Lindsey had a whole new respect for Joli. Going through something like that and being able to talk about it and now being able to help someone else, it was brave.

She now understood why people looked at her differently after the trail. She assumed she was getting sympathy looks but now she realized it wasn't. The looks were of admiration. They looked at her that way because she had stood up tot he man that had killed her best friends and she had ultimately sent him to prison. She was scared shitless but they didn't see it that way. They saw it was courage and bravery. That's how she looked at Joli now. She knew it was hard to admit that to people she barely knew but that took courage.

The two women stepped out of the triage room and Joli fiddled with her fingers before taking a deep breath and looking at Lindsey.

"Listen I," Lindsey held her hand up and shook her head.

"You don't have to talk about it. I know you had to pull that out of nowhere to help her and I know it had to have been tough, but you do not need to fill me in more if you don't want to. I know we are friends but we still barely know one another. It's not going to hurt me or offend me." Lindsey told her.

"I will, eventually. It's not something I want to bring up at work though." Joli told her softly. Lindsey smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Still, not before you're ready." Lindsey smiled warmly. "We all have past's. Some are just more tragic than others." Joli smiled and let out a breath before taking another deep one.

"Thanks. But um, one more thing." Lindsey looked up from her kit and at Joli again.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I know you won't say anything but just so you know." Joli said and looked around. "My father doesn't know. I never had the heart to tell him."

"My lips are sealed." Lindsey nodded and closed her kit.

"Thank you. You leaving?" Joli asked.

"Yeah, tell Mac I'm going to the lab to get a head start." she nodded and walked out the room. "I'll call you later so we can set up an ice cream and Kleenex date." Joli sighed and watched her leave. When Lindsey was out of sight she walked back down to the nurse's station to find Mac.

* * *

Mac was sitting in the most uncomfortable chair in the nurse's station as he waited for Lindsey and Joli to come back with the results of the rape exam. He briefly wondered why they didn't have more cushioned chairs if they were all about calming people down. He heard footsteps from the hall and he looked over to see Joli walking over to him.

"Everything go okay?" he asked standing up.

"Yeah, it took a few minutes to calm her down but she complied." Joli nodded. Mac nodded with her and crossed his arms.

"So what's the result?" Joli sighed and looked down at the folder she had.

"No doubt that she was raped. She has bruises consistent with being attacked and forced. On the insides of her legs and upper arms. Plus, we're hoping for some fluids. She admitted to having sex with her boyfriend but said the attacker didn't use a condom." Mac nodded and looked down the hall again.

"Lindsey leave already?" he asked.

"Yes, said she wanted to get a head start." Joli told him.

"Well, thanks for helping. I hope it wasn't a problem." Mac smiled and Joli shook her head.

"Oh no, we're not that busy and I was on nurse duties today anyways." she chuckled. Mac was about to open his mouth to say something else but a head full of dark hair caught his eye and he looked passed Joli again to see Det. Angell walking over to him.

"Hey, Mac. Mother's in the waiting room." Angell told him and briefly looked over at Joli. "She's riled up too." Mac sighed and looked at her.

"Good way or bad?" he asked. Angell smirked and tilted her head.

"Not so good, how bout that?" she asked. Mac sighed and nodded his head.

"I get it." he told her and pointed to Joli next to him. "Angell this is Dr. Joli Hammerback. Joli this is Detective Jessica Angell. She's Flack's semi partner." he smirked. Angell's eye's lit up and she smiled widely at Joli as she stuck her hand out.

"Nice to meet you." Joli smiled and shook her hand.

"Ah so you're the one that's god his panties all in a wad." Angell smiled. "What is it he calls you? Doc?" she asked. Joli turned a light shade of pink and nodded.

"Unfortunately." she laughed nervously. Mac and Angell shared a smile and Angell smiled one more time.

"Well, it was nice to meet you too. Hope to see you around. And beware of the mother." she called as she walked down the hall.

"I'm going to talk to the mother. Thanks again for helping." Mac said laying a hand on Joli's shoulder before walking to the waiting room.

* * *

Mac walked down the hallway and turned into the waiting room. He spotted a semi older woman pacing the floors and looking very aggravated. When she spotted him she walked over and he nodded to her.

"Mrs. Campbell, I'm Detective Mac Taylor." he greeted softly. "I'm sure Det. Angell has informed you on some inform-"

"Where's Hannah? I want to see her." she cut in. Mac was surprised at the tone in her voice. It wasn't one of concern or pain; it was one of anger and spite. He made sure to keep his cool and looked at her.

"Hannah is being treated. Right now I'm going to need you to answer a few questions for me." he told her.

"Like what? I can't tell you anything. Talk to her." she told him firmly and crossed her arms.

"Hannah is in shock. She's been through a lot tonight, so I'd rather get simple questions answered by you instead of her right now." Mac informed her. Mrs. Campbell rolled her eyes and looked around the room.

"I just want to see her." she told him again.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." he told her.

"I don't care what you think." she snapped. Mac felt his anger rising and crossed his arms.

"You're not at your calmest and she does not need you to go in there-"

"What are you a doctor too?" she spat and glared at him. Just as he was about to say something else he looked over to see Joli standing next to him.

"Excuse me. Ma'am, I'm Dr. Hammerback." Joli greeted the mother and held her had out. "I examined your daughter and I must say I agree with Det. Taylor. She's in shock and the last thing she needs in for someone to go in there and upset her. It's best for you to calm down first." Mac let her take over to give himself time to clam down and looked at the mother.

"And if I don't?" Mrs. Campbell smirked menacingly. Joli smirked back and Mac waited to see what Joli would say. He had only heard of her attitude and mouth but he had never witnessed it.

"Then you won't see her and if you try to disobey me and my orders, I'll have you removed from the premises by that big burly security guard over there or by this lovely Detective next to me." Joli told her trying to keep her attitude in check. Sure the lady was getting sassy with her but she was at work and she still had to remain professional.

"So what's it going to be?" Mac asked smugly. Mrs. Campbell glared at both of the them and sighed.

"What happened?" she mumbled. Mac nodded a thank you to Joli and looked back at the mother.

"Hannah was attacked as was her boyfriend. Unfortunately, he did not make it. There's evidence your daughter was raped and if we can get-" Mac told her but was cut off yet again.

"She's lying but don't it personally, Doc." the mother laughed and nodded to Joli. Mac and Joli exchanged looks and Joli stepped back up.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"She's an attention whore, a plain whore at that. I wouldn't doubt if she killed that boy herself. I wouldn't waste another minute on her if I were you." the mother told them both. Mac saw Joli's jaw clench and then bow her head slightly.

"Well luckily, we're not you and I do take it personally. I did the exam myself and I've seen plenty of rape cases, your daughter was raped tonight and luckily she wasn't killed." Joli told her firmly.

"Lucky my ass." she scoffed. "Are we done? Can I see her now? I really need to get going." Mac decided it was time to end this confrontation and reached into his pocket and pulled out a card.

"For now but don't go too far." he told her and held the card out.

"Yeah, can I see her now?" she asked while taking the card from him. Mac looked over at Joli and she smiled.

"Sorry, you can't." Joli told the mother. Her face dropped and she looked between Mac and Joli.

"Why not?" she asked. Joli pointed to the sign behind the woman and smiled.

"Visiting hours are over." The mother shook her head and glared at them one last time before stalking off. Joli watched her go and Mac chuckled.

"Nice work." he told her.

"Thank you. I try." Joli smiled and looked over at him.

"From what I've heard you don't need to try." he smirked.

"And what have you heard and from whom?" she asked. Mac looked down at his watch and back at her.

"Why don't we grab a cup of coffee? I got a few minutes before I have to head back."

* * *

"You going to answer my question?" Joli asked as they sat down at a tiny table outside the hospital. Mac sat across from her and pulled the lid off his cup to empty a couple packets of sugar in it.

"I've heard you have quite the spunky attitude." Mac stated and looked over at her. She sipped her coffee carefully and casually but Mac could see the smile over the cup.

"Spunky? That's a new one." Joli remarked and set her cup down.

"What is it usually?" he asked. She bit her lip and thought for a moment.

"Bitchy, crazy, sassy, dramatic, etc." she smiled at him. "A few worse came from your other homicide detective's mouth."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Mac nodded. "He's got an attitude too. But you already know that."

"Yes, I do." she laughed. "We're quite the scene when we are in bad moods."

"So I've heard." he chuckled. "But I've also heard things have smoothed out?" Joli smiled and nodded a little.

"Yeah, pretty much. We don't yell or scream profanities every time we see one another but never say never, right?" she joked.

"Yes, never say never." he agreed. "So what's going on there?" he asked and chuckled when she blushed again. It didn't take a scientist to know she was interested in Don Flack but she thought different apparently.

"We're friends. That's all." she told him, hoping she really wasn't blushing. "It won't go beyond that. I've managed to break him and his girlfriend up by accident. I'd hate to see what would happened if I was the girlfriend. He's a really nice guy though." she added.

"That is he. A great cop too." he said and sipped his coffee. "So how do you like the Big Apple?" he asked, changing the subject so she would relax again.

"Ah the city that never sleep and I are two peas in a pod as of now. It's treating me well." she smiled brightly.

"That's good. But you've already got a leg up." he declared.

"Really? How's that?" she asked raising a brow.

"Well, you've got a homicide detective smitten with you, a best friend who's a CSI, and a father who's the medical examiner. If you ever get into trouble, you're covered." he smiled.

"I guess so, huh?" she laughed. They were silent for a moment, both looking around at the busy city streets until Mac spoke up again.

"Sid has said amazing things about you." Mac told her. Joli smiled and looked over at him.

"Really? And here I was thinking he never talked about us." she teased.

"Well, it's rare but he does. It's hard for him. Well, it was before you moved back." Mac admitted. Joli smiled down at her coffee and nodded.

"He might seem socially awkward and work with dead people but he's got a heart and feelings." she told him. "He's far from the cold man my mother makes him out to be." Joli sighed.

"He's a great man. A smart man." Mac nodded.

"And that's why I love him." she smiled and looked back up at him.

"I'm glad you didn't give up on him over the years. He was always afraid of that, ya know? That your mother would turn you against him." Mac told but Joli didn't know that. She felt the emotion tighten in her chest and she looked away.

"I'd never do that." she promised. "He's always been my knight in shining armor and always will be." she whispered.

"Don't let that change." he told her as he reached down to silence his ringing phone. "Well, it was nice talking to you but duty calls."

"Yeah, I know that ring already." she laughed and stood up with him.

"Flack?" he asked.

"Yeah." she mumbled. Mac smirked again and threw his cup away.

"On that note, take your own advice." he told her as he walked off.

"What's that?" she called out, wondering what he was talking about.

"Never say never."

* * *

Don was sitting at the tiny table outside of the Starbuck's that Devon wanted to meet at. She had called him back not five minutes after he finally fell back asleep and told him to meet her around noon. Now he was here, and had been for twenty minutes, but she was not. He called her twice already but no on picked up. He hated that she was always later but her excuse was always the same.

"At least I'm fashionably late."

He sighed and was about to leave when he spotted her walking down the street. She was on a white dress with red high heels and she was carrying about 5 bags from various New York stores. She smiled and set her bags down as she got to the table. She stood up waiting for him to greet her and she frowned when he pointed to the empty seat.

"You're cranky." she stated.

"You woke me up after I fell asleep." he also stated. Devon glared at him for a minute but stopped and reached over to grab his hands.

"Well, I'm glad you called to invite me here. I need to talk to you too." she smiled. Don raised a brow and nodded.

"Well, go ahead." he told her, knowing that this was probably the last thing she was going to get to say to him before he made her cry.

"I've been thinking, Donnie. We've been together for a while, we're happy." she smiled and Don mentally choked himself. "I know it's been stressful with that hideous creature next door, who-"

"Cut the shit, Devon. Get to it." Don warned.

"Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about this and my girlfriends think its perfect." she gushed. Don rolled his eyes and motioned for her to continue. "I think we're ready for the next level." she exclaimed. Don fought really hard not to laugh and when a tiny scoff came from his throat, he covered it with a cough. She frowned again when he didn't say anything.

"You don't seem excited." she stated.

"Really?" Don asked sarcastically. "Devon, why would we take the next step?"

"Because we're happy." she pouted. This time he couldn't help it, he laughed.

"I'm miserable and you're delusional. That's what we are." he told her honestly.

"Then what did you ask me to come here for?" she asked crossing her arms.

"I didn't come here to talk." he told her and she got even more confused. "And I certainly didn't come here to take our relationship to the next level."

"Then what?" she asked.

"I came here to break up with you." he smirked. Devon's face dropped and turned a bright shade of red.

"No." she hissed.

"Yes. I'm done. You're driving me insane and I don't appreciate you hitting me friends." he added.

"She's a slut." Devon declared.

"But she's ugly?" Don asked and stood up. "Listen, it was nice while it lasted but I gotta go." he told her. Devon watched in shock as he walked off with a huge grin on his face, content now that he had finally done what he had wanted to do for a long time. And that was thanks to one woman.


	11. The Past Lies

**So I'm like really sorry for the wait!! I've had this chapter half written for like forever but I've been out of mojo!! this chapter is a lot more tragic than I originally planned but if someone can guess thy 'why' of the sudden outburst, I'll send you a cookie. It's easy really...lol. **

**Plus, I've been moving all weekend and I'm stuck on trying to get a right plot down for a new story. It's driving me insane, right BEG? ;) But it's taking it's toll and I'm behind on everything!! So bare with me. But I promise next chapter will be worth it and some tempers will be flared...again. I think you all know who's tempers I'm talking about...lol. **

**Also I'm going to try and start replying to the reviews in a PM rather than on here. So this might be the last time I write it down here. Also, if anyone has any suggestions or other remarks about this...PM me. I'm all ears. :)**

**BEG75- It's not stupid our secrets, I like it too...lol. Yes, I could so see Devon buying her own ring just so she can show it off. What a wench, huh? Thanks for all the support and late night (well, late my time) talks. I appreciate all the pep talks too. :)**

**Soccer- Yes, she's gone. Peace, good bye, never come back. Thanks!! :)**

**Forest- It did seem long overdue, huh? I wanted to make sure y'all didn't like her...lol. Thanks for the review and as I said to Cherryspark...I didn't want to introduce every cast member at the same time. :)**

**Jayden- Aww thanks! Yes, I was excited to write her waking him up and him being all grumpy until he sees its her. I thought it was a nice way to show he is starting to like her. I think they honestly don't really realize they are into each other until the last minute...lol. But Jo and Linds will have more secret sharing and I cover that here. They will be good friend on many levels, like the horrid times of the past. And I so agree with you on Mac. His and Jo's relationship will slowly getting stronger but it will mostly be like a father/daughter of course. I'll touch on that soon. :)**

**hope4sall- THANKS! BEG is my idea go to girl! She gives me my boost...lol. I'm still so proud of myself for writing these witty lines. They just come naturally especially when Devon is the receiver!! **

**cherryspark- Never say never...a lot will come of that. ;) I didn't want to add all the reg NY cast all at the same time nor did I want to overshadow Don and Joli with too many cast members. Mac will have his tid bits as will Stella. My main focus is Don&Joli and Danny&Linds and of course, Sid. But I did like writing the Mac/Joli moment. So thanks. :)**

**iheartcsiny- LOL! Thanks for the review! I'm glad I made quite a few people's day with that. **

**Wenchester- I feel lousy now!! You wished there was an update in your inbox every morning and I took soo long to update!! Gah, I'm sorry. But I do really have the next like 7 chapters planned but it's been real hectic around here.**

**Lyris- Thanks, so much! You did not bore me at all, it was quite the opposite, it made my night!! I'm glad you like it so much and I appreciate that you stayed up. There will be quite a bit of Danny too, so don't worry. :)**

* * *

"So," Danny panted, trying his hardest to take the top off of his water bottle. Don sat next to him on the bench, leaned back with his arm draped over his face trying to hide from the sun

"So what?" Don mumbled. Danny took a long sip from his bottle and set it down on the ground. He leaned forward on his knees and stared out at the basketball court in front of them.

"So you've been a single man for nearly two weeks." he stated. Don cracked and eye open and looked at him.

"So what?" he repeated. Danny look over at him and leaned back up.

"So are you like sick or something?" he asked. Don moved his arm completely and looked at his friend.

"No, do I look sick?" he asked and leaned up all the way. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, you're not acting like yourself, that's all." Danny shrugged.

"How so?" Don asked. "I want examples." Danny took the glasses off his face to wipe them as he thought for reason to give to his friend.

"Well, like yesterday. At the coffee shop." he remembered and put his glasses back on. "The pretty little blond that always flirts with you? You didn't flirt back." Don chuckled and shook his head.

"She's married." he reminded him. Danny nodded and draped an arm over the back of the bench.

"That never stopped you before." Danny chided and looked around the court. "And you always flirted your way into information with females at the scenes. A few days ago, when we had that rich doctor case, you didn't even give his daughter the once over."

"Her dad was murdered!" Don exclaimed. "The last thing she needed was to have me flirt with her."

"I didn't say you should flirt with her but never," Danny pressed and held up a finger. "Not once, have you passed up the opportunity to get a good look at a pretty girl." Don stared at him like he had grown another head and huffed a little.

"You've lost your mind." he declared and picked up his own water bottle.

"No, I'm pretty sure we got started in this because I think you've lost something." Danny reminded him. "Or gained something." he added in softly. Don stopped in mid sip and looked over at Danny.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. Danny shrugged and raised his hands.

"Nothing." he replied and bit his lip. "Except maybe that you're not telling me something."

"What would I not tell you? And if I did not tell you something, maybe it's none of your business." Don told him honestly. Danny held up his hands in defence and shook his head.

"All I'm saying is that you're acting a bit odd and I wanted to know what was up. I care about ya." Danny defended. Don raised a brow and stared at Danny. He was confusing the hell out him this morning.

"I'm not acting weird." Don stated. "And I'm not hiding anything from you. I don't have anything to hide." he assured. Danny nodded slowly and picked up his bottle.

"Okay. That's all ya needed to say." Danny said casually. The two men sat in silence for a few minutes and watched the new game of basketball unfold. Don only noticed that Danny wasn't done grilling him when the bench started shaking and he looked to see Danny's leg bouncing.

"Spit it out, Messer." Don sighed. Danny moved a little to face him and Don was surprised at the serious look on his face.

"Do you have a secret girlfriend?" he asked. Don laughed out loud at the question but stopped when he noticed Danny's frown.

"What? You serious?" Don asked and Danny nodded.

"I'm pretty sure there's a reason they call is a secret girlfriend, Dan-o." Don told him.

"So you do?" Danny asked.

"No, I don't. Why are you so curious?" Don asked. Danny shrugged again and looked back at the game. Don waited for him to say something and else when he didn't, Don made him. "Messer." he growled.

"I just want to say that if I had a secret girl, I'd tell you." Danny blurted out.

"But then it wouldn't be a secret." Don commented.

"As long as you didn't tell Montana it would be." Danny smirked and Don frowned. Danny caught onto what he had just said and frowned with him. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm not cheating on her."

"Again." Don added quickly. Danny frowned and waved his hand around.

"My point is," he sighed. "I trust you enough to tell you things that I wouldn't want anyone to know about and I like to think you think the same of me."

"I do." Don nodded. "But there's nothing to tell. No secret girl on the side, no illness that I know of. I'm good." Don assured him.

"Okay." Danny nodded and leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Ah I'll be right back. The restroom calls." Don mumbled and stood up, tossing his water bottle into the trash can. Danny chuckled and watched Don walk into the restrooms. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out his phone and hit redial.

"Hey." came the soft voice but eager voice. Danny smirked and looked around to make sure Don was still gone. "Did you get anything?"

"No Linds, I didn't get anything." he said when he was done inspecting the area. "We had a heartfelt guy talk and I got zilch."

"Heartfelt?" Lindsey groaned. "You better not mean stupid guy stuff, Messer. Or the stuff you try and talk to me about."

"No, it didn't consist of sex and boobs." Danny chuckled.

"What about-"

"Not hockey either." he interrupted. "Why don't you trust me with these things?"

"Because you're you." she told him bluntly. Danny frowned and looked behind him again.

"That's real nice, Montana." he said and turned back to the court.

"Where's he at?" she asked

"He's in the restroom. Why?"

"Just wondering." Danny furrowed his brows and sighed

"You want me to keep trying, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes." she exclaimed unintentionally. "Or find something else out. Drop hints." she begged.

"You going to pummel her with questions later?" Danny asked, referring to the other peson involved in Lindsey Monroe's secret plan.

"Yes, I am." she said confidently. Danny looked around again and saw Don walking out of the restroom.

"Alright, I'll try. But he's back so I gotta go." he told her.

"Thanks." she gushed.

"This better be worth it. I haven't played Cupid since high school and I was really bad at it." he reminded her.

"Well, you want him happy don't you?" she asked and he sighed. "Exactly. Not go and call me later." Danny hung up just as Don walked up to the bench.

"Who was that?" Don asked.

"Montana." Danny replied and set his phone down next to him.

"Being that we talked about my non existent personal life, how about you tell me what's going on there." Don smirked and sat down next to him. Danny sighed loudly and sat up straight.

"It's going." he replied. "We're trying not to talk about it or categorize it. Taking it one day at a time." he explained. Don nodded and looked down at his phone when he started to ring.

"Tell me we don't have a scene." Danny groaned as Don picked it up and flipped it open. Don shook his head when he saw it was a text and opened the message. A broad smile spread across his face as he read the text and that perked Danny's interest.

"If you're that happy about a dead body, you need help." he commented and moved to look at the phone but Don turned it away with an amused smirk on his face.

"Nosey much?" Don joked.

"Yeah." Danny nodded honestly. "I wanna know what's making you smile like a fool because this is why we had this conversation earlier. I think you're sick or got a secret."

"I don't have a secret. And I'm not smiling like a fool." Don defended.

"Alright." Danny nodded. "Grinning like an idiot?" he suggested. Don rolled his eyes as he sent a text back. "Who is it from?"

"None of your business." Don smirked and closed his phone.

"Come on, man!" Danny exclaimed. Don smirked and shook his head.

"How did we go from you and Linds back to me and my secret girlfriend?" he asked. Danny raised his brow and looked at him.

"Was that a confession?" he asked. Don laughed again and stood up from the bench.

"Ya know what, I gotta go. I don't have the time nor do I feel like listening to you and your ramblings." Don chuckled and grabbed his bag from the ground.

"You're confusing me with Adam and you can't just leave." Danny said standing up after him and packing his own stuff up.

"Yes, I can. I don't know about you but I have plans tonight." Don told him.

"You didn't have plans earlier." Danny noted and Don smirked.

"Well, I do now." he told him. Danny crossed his arms and gave Don a stern stare.

"Who sent you the text, Flack?" he asked. Don sighed and looked over at his friend. "Who do you have plans with?"

"Joli, alright. She got tonight off and we're having dinner at my place." Don admitted. A grin spread across Danny's face and Don sighed again. "Don't give me that look."

"So what's going on there?" Danny asked. Don shook his head and threw the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

"Nothing. Now leave me alone." he called as he walked off. Danny grinned and pulled phone out again. He opened his message box and started typing a new message to Lindsey.

_M, I think you might be right. They are having dinner, tonight._

_D._

* * *

"What about this color?" Joli asked, holding her foot out to Lindsey. Joli arrived about twenty minutes after Lindsey got the text from Danny and was shocked that she didn't have to press Joli for the dinner plans. Joli had casually said that she was having dinner at Don's place and she was wanting to watse some time before she left. Lindsey pressed for more information but she got about the same amount of info that Danny got from Flack.

Lindsey leaned over the coffee table and crinkled her nose.

"Too bright." she said. Joli pulled her foot back and grabbed the bottle of nail polish remover and wiped off the pinkish color on her toe. She tapped her lip as she looked on the table for another color, a darker color. She smiled and picked up another pink colored bottle and twisted the top off. She had just touched the brush to her toe nail when Lindsey's fingers came across the table.

"I've never done them this good." Lindsey smiled and Joli laughed.

"They look good." she agreed. "I can't do my nails for nothing. My toes are no biggie but God forbid I take a color to my nails. I'd look like a two year old."

"I'm the opposite. I can't do my toes. My legs don't like to stretch for me." Lindsey laughed.

"Well, I'll do your toes, if you do my nails. Deal?" Joli smiled and Lindsey nodded.

"So what are your plans for Thanksgiving? It's only two weeks away." Lindsey asked. Joli scoffed and shook her head.

"Well, my sister wants to come here for turkey day but my mom wants me over there. I explained to her that CiCi wants to see dad but she said well I want to have both of you here." Joli told her.

"Ya can't always get whatcha want." Lindsey half sang and half laughed.

"Exactly. But I think CiCi's going to come out here for like a week and hang out." Joli smiled. Lindsey noticed that the smile was not her regular happy smile, it was sadder.

"You miss her, huh?" Lindsey asked. Joli's eyes watered and she sniffed as she set the nail polish bottle down.

"Yeah." she mumbled and wiped her eyes. "I feel guilty sometimes for leaving her there." she confessed. Lindsey set the polish bottle down and moved over to the other couch to sit next to her. Joli leaned her head on Lindsey's shoulder and sighed. "It's always been up against mom even when we were fighting. And now I feel like I abandoned her."

"Has she said how things have been?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah, things are fine. I mean, it was me that my mom nagged on most of the time because she knew that CiCi looked up to me, so I had to be perfect and the popular." Joli told her and turned her head right when something flashed across the television screen. She grabbed the remote and turned the volume up.

"Oh gosh, look at this." she breathed and Lindsey looked over. On the screen was a picture of a young woman and her two kids from a tiny town outside of Rochester, NY.

_'Investigators are calling this a double murder. Officials have confirmed that the mother, Kennedy Chandler and her two children, Thomas and Ian, were found shot to death in there home.'_

Lindsey reached for the remote suddenly and tunred the tv off completely. Joli looked shocked and was about to ask what was wrong when she saw the pale and saddened look on Lindsey's face. Lindsey felt her staring but siad nothing as she picked the nial polish bottle up and finished doing her fingers.

* * *

"Back home, in Bozeman, there was this tiny diner about 20 twenty minutes from my house." Lindsey smiled softly. Her sudden and random outburst shocked Joli but not as much as the look in her eyes. She only said a few words but the way she said them was almost enough to bring chills to your skin. "Everyone would go there after school or after games in Friday nights. I'm not too sure why it was the place to be but everyone flocked there." she smiled and Joli nodded, setting Lindsey's left foot down and gently grabbing her right foot.

"They had the best homemade milkshakes. Gran, the owner, didn't like sing the soft ice cream machines. She made sure the workers ordered and used the hard ice cream. They were perfect and once a week she made the ice cream herself and sold the skakes at half price. My mom said she used to make the ice cream herself everyday but as she got older she couldn't."

Joli kept focus on the tiny nails on Lindsey's hand and slowly nodded and glanced up ever so often to let her know she was paying attention.

"Anyways, me and my friend would always go there after games and just to get out of the house, to relax and have our time to chat. Gran would keep the diner open later on nights we got in there before she closed on time. She was always so sweet." Joli looked up when she heard the familiar crack in her voice. She paused her painting to see the glossy look in Lindsey's eyes.

"Remember what you told me earlier? That you were listening." Joli whispered and Lindsey nodded. "Well, I'm listening too." Lindsey looked over to her and cracked a tiny smile.

"Remember when I said every had a past, some were just worse than others?" she asked and looked down at her hands.

"Yeah, I do." Joli nodded.

"Well, mine is worse than others." she whispered and bit her lip. "A lot worse." Joli reached out for her hands and smiled softly.

"You can talk to me, Linds." Joli told her. Lindsey closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"When I was sixteen me and three of my friends were at the diner with Gran and her oldest son Charlie. We has just left the movies and we wanted a milkshake. So we stopped by Gran's and were chatting about the movie. About my second refill on my shake," she said and cleared her throat when her voice broke. Joli felt her heart start to shake with the anticipation of what her friend was about to reveal. "I had to go to the bathroom." Lindsey whispered and closed her eyes.

She saw herself in the diner again, sitting next to Marie, Candy and Allison. She saw the food and shakes spread all over the table and she heard the sound of their laughter all over again. It was heaven at that time, it was the time of her life. She remembered walking to the restroom, laughing at a joke that Marie had just said and she almost wet her pants before she finally gave in and jumped out of her seat to run to the restroom. She still laughed as she slammed the door shut and locked it.

"I didn't hear the first shot until I reached for the door's lock." she whispered, her lip quivering as the emotions and member flooded her brain. Joli fought hard to keep herself composed. She knew Lindsey wouldn't ever calm down or continue if she couldn't keep herself together. "I heard the screams. I don't know who but I heard them, loud and clear. My hand just lingered over the handle as I stood there."

She remembered covering her mouth with her tiny hand and stifling the screams that she thought were going to erupt form her lips but was shocked to hear nothing. She knew the only people out there were her friends, Gran and Charlie. She knew that the screams that she was hearing from the bathroom door were those of the people she had left out left there. She knew those screams were of excruciating pain and most likely the onset of a death, or deaths. She couldn't scream, she felt she had no reason to. Hers were silent. Silent and hidden like she was.

"I fell down to the ground and just listened to them." she cried to Joli. "I sat there and did nothing, Jo." she sobbed as Joli quickly moved to pull the tiny brunette into her arms. Joli held Lindsey tight to her chest and smoothed her hand over the curls in her hair, whispering soft words of encouragement to try and calm her down but there was no calming.

All she kept seeing in her mind was her sixteen year old self sitting on the bathroom floor, covering her ears from the piercing screams and shots from the other room. She felt her hands being removed from her ears and listening to the eerie silence that took over her and building. She saw herself move ever so slowly to the door and push it open just enough to see through into the dining room where she had just been.

She felt the emotions again. The feeling of sickness as she scanned the room and saw the bodies scattered around the usually spotless dining area. The blood pooled around said bodies. She felt the horror and pain when she remembered seeing the look on Marie's pale face, eyes wide open and scared. She was looking straight at her but through her all at the same time. But most of all she felt the fear and angry rise in her when she saw the lone figure standing in the middle of the scene, calm and composed with a shot gun in hand.

"He just stood there and looked over everything, like he was trying to memorize it. He stood there and watched as my friends died and bleed to death." she cried again and Joli held her tighter.

"Shhh it's okay. It's alright, Linds." she whispered and closed her eyes tightly. Never in a million years would she hae thought that something this horrible had happened to Lindsey. She never showed the trauma of something like and she Lindsey's overall attitude was nothing but happy and sweet. How could some like that be hiding something so horrible?

After a few more minutes of body wracking sobs, Lindsey took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. Joli looked down as Lindsey moved from her arms and wiped her face.

"That's why I am who I am." she told Joli softly. Joli nodded, understanding completely. Lindsey wasn't the only one who's past decided what she was going to be when she got older. Joli understood that well.

"Did they find him?" Joli asked. Lindsey sighed and closed her eyes again.

"They did and he got convicted." she nodded and then looked over at Joli. "Long story short, I just testified two years ago."

"That long?" Joli asked, shocked. Lindsey nodded and laughed a little.

"Yeah, right after I moved here too. The thing I wanted to get away from caught up to me and bit me hard. But I didn't care. I was fine as long as he was going to prison."

"I take it everyone else knows?" Joli asked. Lindsey laughed again but this time it was a little sweeter.

"At first I didn't tell them what happened. I think Mac knew but he'd never tell me that." she smiled. "One day at a scene I flipped out and left. Stella was trying to be nice and I snapped one her leading her to snap on me and it was one big blowout."

"What happened?"

"Well, I ended up talking to her about it later. Told her what happened and that I got a subpoena to go testify and I was just freaked out about seeing him again." she said whispering the last words.

"How did you handle it?" Joli asked and Lindsey smiled again, shaking her head lightly.

"Danny." she replied. Joli smirked and leaned back on the couch to listen to the story.

"No need to stop now." she smiled and Lindsey smirked at her.

"I don't know. Ever since I got here there had always been this connection between us. I loved working with him and we worked well together. Well, about the time that I got the news that I had to testify, Danny started realizing that we might have something." she told her.

"Bad timing." Joli stated.

"Very." Lindsey agreed. "Well, he cornered me one day and all I could do was blow him off. I had to think about the trial and get ready to leave to go back to Montana, not about getting into a relationship with a co-worker." she sighed and Joli nodded.

"Seems everything worked out though." she smiled and Lindsey nodded.

"He followed me to Montana." she declared and looked up at the surprised face of Joli.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, he flew out the day I had to testify. Mac let him have a few days off and we flew back together." she smiled. "He gave me that boost I needed to face him and testify." she said and Joli rubbed her arm when her voice cracked. "To put in jail for what he did."

The images of the diner flooded back again. She watched him slowly walk out of the diner, as if nothing had happened. She waited a few minutes before she pushed the door open and slowly stood to her feet to walk out. She found out quick that her voice was back she let out a shrill scream. Her eyes scanned the floors and the bodies of her three best friends as they lay twisted and bloodied around the table they had sat at every time they had come in here for the past four years. A loud sob escaped when she turned around, trying to look away from the horror, and was greeted to the site of Charlie, the cook. He was laid out in a booth with a huge gaping hole in his chest.

Lindsey shook her head uncontrollably and tip toed around the mess on the floor and over to the counter to reach for the phone. Whens he got to the counter the phone was off the hook and she leaned over to see Gran laying on the ground, phone clutched in hand. Her heard broke and she sank to the ground again and sobbed.

Joli wiped the tears from her face and sniffled. Lindsey sent her a weak smile and squeezed her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Linds." Joli whispered. Lindsey shook her head and wiped her cheeks off.

"I should be apologizing. I didn't mean to go all emotional here. I don't know what came over me." she laughed a little, trying to ease the tense situation. "I've never been this emotional before."

"I get real emotional before my period." Joli smirked.

"I get tired, really tired when I'm on mine. I yawn like crazy. Danny hates it." Lindsey laughed. "I start to yawn and then he gets sleepy and blames it on me." Joli laughed with her and shook her head.

"That sounds like Danny." she chuckled and then got really quiet. Lindsey reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I didn't mean to upset you. Especially before you go to Don's." Lindsey apologized again. "God, I'm stupid, I'm so-" Joli held her hand up and that's when Lindsey noticed the tears. "Jo, what is it?"

"I feel so bad now. Guilty." she sniffed and looked up at Lindsey. "You just told me the most horrible thing that has happened to you and I-"

"I didn't mean to." Lindsey butted in and groaned. "I did but I don't know what came over me, really." Joli shook her head and sat up.

"No, I don't mind." she assured her.

"Then what's wrong?" Lindsey asked.

"I lied." Joli whispered.

"About what?" Lindsey asked.

"About the attack." Lindsey almost didn't hear her and when she processed what she heard, she didn't understand what she was talking about.

"You didn't get attacked?" Lindsey asked.

"No, I did." Joli nodded and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "But I told the girl that story to get her to help us out." she confessed.

"What was a lie?" Lindsey asked, rubbing her hand slowly to calm her down and let her know she was here for her.

* * *

"I was the it girl in high school." Joli sniffed. "I didn't have to do my homework, people did it for me or I just turned in an empty sheet of paper. I was the equivalent of Devon back then. I was mean and on top the world. I could do whatever I wanted, whenever and wherever I wanted to and no one could stop me. I mean, I wasn't a hellion but I was the head cheerleader and ruled that school." she sighed and Lindsey watched her intently. Lindsey wasn't going to push her into giving out more than she wanted, although she did want to comment on how she just couldn't see Joli being like Devon at all.

The girl in front of her was a very low key and casual girl. Her glasses hung on her narrow nose and her hair was always in a bun or pony tail. Lindsey wasn't sure if Joli owned any kind of hair products. Joli didn't wear the designer duds that Devon adorned 24/7. Joli was a jeans and t-shirt girl. A basball cap wearer with her hair tucked in. Joli didn't wear make-up, honestly she didn't need it and no, Lindsey was not calling Joli ugly, she was far from it. But attitude wise, Lindsey Monroe could not see any likeness between Devon and Joli.

"But as always, being in that situation, I got a lot of attention. Most of I wanted but one day," she whispered and held up a finger. "One day I got more than I wanted."

"I was always the first to get there and the last leave. I might have head a huge ego but I was dedicated. I made sure that everything was cleared off the field and that everyone was gone before I left." she whispered and closed her eyes. "It was Friday and I was getting ready to leave when I heard someone yell from behind me."

_She turned around to see who was on the field when she thought everyone had left and saw someone running across the field. _

_'Hey, you need to leave. The field is shutting down.' she yelled to him as he ran. Aggravated that the man didn't yell back or head to the exit, she crossed her arms and glared as his figure ran up to her. She didn't get to see who he was because it was dark and he was facing away from the lights on the field. She sighed as he reached her and she pointed to the exit._

_'I know where the exit is.' he spoke. Joli furrowed her brows and moved to see the man's face. _

_'Coach Jones, I thought you left?' she asked._

"Oh my god." Lindsey gasped and moved to grab the box of kleenex for Joli.

"All he said was that he had something to take care of." Joli whispered while taking a tissue.

'_Alright. Well, I'm heading out. Great game.' she smiled and turned around to walk to the private exit. She turned back around in surprise when Coach Jones' hand grasped her upper arm. She would have freaked out but he was pointing to the bleachers next to the field._

_'You forgot the cheer bag.' he said. Joli looked over to the bottom bleacher where her cheer bag was. The cheer bag was filled with the pom pom's and banners they carried and she could have sworn she already locked that away in the lockers._

_'I guess I did.' she whispered and moved from his grip and walked over to the bleachers. She didn't start to panic until he followed her as she walked. She turned to him and smiled._

_'I can get it. I've done it before.' she assured him but he didn't repsond nor did he stop following. 'Coach, I got it.' she said a little more firmly. He smirked at her and at the last minute he lunged for her. Joli screamed and threw her bag down as she took off running. She heard him curse and she looked back as she ran under the bleachers._

_'Stop now! Hammberback, get your ass back here.' he yelled as she ducked under metal rods and poles as she ran as fast as she could. She looked back to see where he was and how far behind her but didn't see him. She stopped for a split second and started running again but didn't get far._

_He grabbed her by her arms and pushed her against the metal gate that surrounded the back of the bleachers. He pressed her hard against it and she cried out._

_'Please, let me go.' she pleaded as he held her hands behind her back and let his other hand fumble with her cheering pants. Now she was glad thats he agreed to do the game in the pants otherwise she'd be in her skirt. 'No, please.'_

_'Why not? You like the attention. Don't you like it, huh?' he hissed and started to pushed her pants down, leaving her in a pair of tiny black practice shorts. _

_'No, please no.' she sobbed as he started to push up her top._

"He froze when a car door slammed." Joli recanted. "He covered my mouth and looked around to see who was there or if anyone could see. That was the only opportunity I had to get away and I head butted him." she said and smirked a little. Lindsey couldn't help it either.

"You pulled a Danny." she chuckled. Joli laughed to and wiped her eyes.

"I can see him doing that." she nodded and sighed deeply.

"What happened next?" Lindsey asked. Joli huffed and shook her head.

"Nothing much. He fell and I ran." she replied shortly. Lindsey contemplated asking the next and obvious question but didn't get a chance to ask. "And no, I didn't tell anyone." Joli added.

"Why not?" Lindsey asked.

"I was afraid, I guess. Part of me believed that no one would have believed me anyways. They would have thought I was fooling around and trying to make a scene. So I saved myself from more hurt." she shrugged.

"What happened to the coach?" Lindsey asked, not wanting to press the issue of her not telling anyone.

"All I know is that he quit and transferred to a new school."

"No one asked questions?" Lindsey asked.

"There wasn't any questions to be asked." Joli relied simply. Lindsey nodded sadly and sighed. "I only told the girl that story because I wish I had told someone." she confessed a few minutes later. Lindsey smiled and patted her leg.

"Well because of your story, whether it was true or not, we found him and he's going away for a long time." Lindsey told her and Joli smiled. "So is that how you got to be who you are today?" she asked. Joli laughed and leaned back onto the couch.

"After that I did a complete 360." she told her. "I burned my old clothes, I started doing my own work. I stopped fixing myself up and I secluded myself." Joli explained.

"Why though?" Lindsey asked.

"I though if I made my undesirable, it wouldn't happen again." Joli admitted bluntly. "If I became the girl that was never made up and considered a nerd," she said finger quoting the last word. "That no one would see me like that and it would get me out of the lime light."

"Did it?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah, it did. My friends slowly lost interest in me and I became the lesser know girl in school." she nodded. "And college was even better. No one knew my old self and they didn't look at me as some bimbo, I got credit for my work and it was great."

"Didn't anyone notice? Like your mom?"

"My mom only noticed that I had changed for good when I told her what I wanted to do with my life." Joli smirked a little.

"Lemme guess she had a conniption fit when you told her?" Lindsey asked.

"Oh boy yes. She flipped." Joli laughed. "She went on a half an hour rant about how I should be a cheerleader or a model." she said rolling her eyes. "She was livid. Told me I was breaking her heart and letting her down. But you know what?" she smiled and looked over at Lindsey. Lindsey smiled seeing the sparkle back in her eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"My dad," Joli smiled softly. "He was so proud of me. He's always been proud of me but when I called him to tell him I was going to nursing school, I could hear it in his voice and feel it through the phone." she gushed.

"I bet he ranted and raved about the joys of going into the medical field." Lindsey laughed.

"For hours. We talked for hours." Joli exclaimed. "It was the first real time me and my dad talked like that. All the others times it was me talking about this girl in school and my boyfriend. It was never real and personal. But that night it was." she smiled.

"I bet he enjoyed it though." Lindsey told her.

"He did, no doubt but it felt good to feel closer to my dad. After such a bad accident, that he didn't know about, I had him back and the change was all worth it in the end." she smiled.


End file.
